La Vie en Rose - The Journey of the Nova Bloom Guild (SYOC Open)
by clairvoyage
Summary: After the Kingdom of Seven's tyrannical King declares war against the Magic Council, denouncing their authority, a new dawn falls on the world of magic in Seven. With strict new laws in place, a slow yet constant decline of magical guilds leaves civilians and mages to befall a flood of cruelties in war. In the hopes to be a ray of light and shelter to mages, Nova Bloom Guild arose.
1. Info & Form

_**AN:** Hello all! I'm clairvoyage, and this is my first Fairy Tail fic! I've been a reader on this site for a long time, and I've been rewatching Fairy Tail and the urge to create a fic has been nagging me for the last few months, so I decided to finally create my own SYOC story, thanks to the encouragement of the lovely **ZodiacStarlight.** She's been such a huge inspiration to me, and I'm excited to produce this story in light of that. There are a lot of Kingdoms in Earthland that Fairy Tail didn't really go into in detail, so I decided to run with the idea of using what little information they provided us on Fiore's neighboring Kingdom of Seven and make it my own._

 _I have so much planned for this, so get ready for a pretty detailed fic! This is more of an introduction page, and I'll have a prologue posted soon that will give more info and a feel for the story itself. I hope you all will consider submitting an OC and taking part in this exciting journey with me! There is so much of the world of Fairy Tail that I'm interested in exploring, so this is the result. And a quick note, this will NOT BE LIKE EDOLAS. I will have a very different plot than the world of Edolas, so please don't worry. Magic guilds will still be a thing in the Kingdom of Seven, just very limited in what they can do because of the new laws in the land, and without the_ _Magic Council to regulate, the leader of Seven is taking advantage of this._

 _ **Please check out my profile for the rules and character sheet if you're interested in submitting**. Everyone is welcome. I'm looking for a wide variety of OCs, so anything goes, within reason. And don't be afraid to ask questions, I would love to help! Also, I should have a prologue posted very soon! Thank you! :)_

 _\- clairvoyage_

* * *

 **Full Summary** : In X884, the Kingdom of Seven declared war against the Magic Council and denounced their authority. Things took a turn for the worst when the royal family of Seven was slain and overthrown, replaced by their current leader and dictator who continues to rule in present-day X923. Due to the denouncing of the Magic Council, Seven has put strict law on the use of magic, leading to the slow decline of magical guilds, leaving innocent civilians to fall under cruel rule as war wages on. With the new leader of Seven who rules with an iron fist, the Kingdom is all but left to suffer under the hands of his followers, a reign of terror and pain flooding the land. In the hopes to be a ray of light to those in need, Nova Inn was formed as a shelter for those suffering from the war. But slowly over time, the guild Nova Bloom was born and shaped from the inn, with the hope to see the members bloom and flourish under the light, blossoming into amazing and talented mages that can save citizens from the pits of darkness. With the new limiting magic laws in place and a war with not only the Magic Council but neighboring Kingdoms, will struggling mages be able to find a place of shelter in the land of Seven and be able to put a stop to this madness to save the Kingdom?

 _ **Important information and timeline:**_ This SYOC story takes place in the Kingdom of Seven, located on a peninsula northeast of Fiore in the year X923 and will be a mix of canon and fiction of my own creation, 120 years after the defeat of Zeref. In X884, the Kingdom of Seven declared war against the Magic Council and denounced their authority. Things had taken such a turn for the worst, especially when the royal family of Seven was slain and overthrown, replaced by their current leader and dictator who continues to rule over Seven in present-day X923. Due to the denouncing of the Magic Council, the Kingdom of Seven has put strict law on the use of magic, leading to a decline of magical guilds in not just the lands of Seven, but slowly decreasing in all of Earth-land and war is waging on with Seven, the Magic Council, and surrounding countries. There are still a small number of guilds in Seven, though most have been taken down by the King. In the neighboring Kingdoms of Fiore, Bosco and Iceberg, things aren't quite as terrible, though the other nations are taking a direct hit on Seven because of their attempts to invade and take over neighboring Kingdoms.

 _ **Nova Bloom Guild information**_ : Noelle Aguellon, a 59-year-old mage, is the founder and master of the Nova Bloom Guild, which is located in the city of Twilight Grove in the Kingdom of Seven, under the guise of Nova Inn. She and her husband have been running Nova Inn as a bed and breakfast for years, though this is also a front to her guild hall where she takes in and shelters mages. It didn't start out that way, more as a place that Noelle sheltered those in need because of the dark times that the Kingdom fell under from the war, but now it has slowly flourished into a light guild. The inn is always under speculation by the local authorities, although Noelle poses the guild members as inn workers to keep them under the radar. Nova Bloom is more of a shelter at the moment, with a very sparse number of members, but they're slowly increasing their numbers. (TBA)

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Fairy Tail or the Kingdom of Seven, but I do own the Nova Bloom Guild, Noelle Aguellon, and a few other minor OCs.

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 **Rules & Guide for Submitting (Please follow these):**

\- You can submit to any guild, or even create your own guild if you'd like. I'll be adding guilds to the story as we go, so we might end up having even more guilds and characters involved. Right now the guilds are Nova Bloom, Phoenix Spirit, Pixie Heart, and the dark guilds, Dryad Skull, and Triton Tower Federation.

\- OCs are to be submitted through PM only, reviews will be overlooked. Title the subject as **[OCs name, Magic Type, and Association/Guild]**. You also MUST use MY OC FORM for submitting a character. Not all forms are the same for every story and mine is specific to my fic, so I'd appreciate it if you used my form to submit your character because it has all of the info I need. You can change up the order of information, but you must use only my form for this.

\- You can submit more than one OC, but I'd prefer if you would ask first. This isn't a first come, first serve story, so I will not have spot reservations, that way It's fair to everyone.

\- Please try to review every few chapters at least, just so I know you're still around and involved. Inactive submitters will be replaced. You do not have to follow or favorite, but it's very appreciated!

\- Ask me first if you want to submit a slayer OC, this way I can limit the number that comes in. If you are submitting a slayer, only second generations are allowed, but I'd honestly prefer not to have over one or two slayers in total. I'm not interested in receiving slayer OCs, just because I want to make this story unique from the original.

 **\- THINGS TO AVOID/UNACCEPTED CONCEPTS: No gods/goddesses, demons, or carbon copies of canon characters. And under no circumstances will I accept immortal OCs, or OCs with magic that can make them immortal, causes death in one blow, demon magic, or anything that remotely resembles Zeref's curse. Overly powerful children will be edited, as well as summoning magic that uses necromancy.**

\- Do not send in a carbon copy of a canon character! I'm looking for original OCs that are unique in their own way, so please try to avoid creating someone too similar to canon. You may use similar magic types as previous characters but change it up, do not give me the exact same magic. I understand that it can be difficult to come up with entirely new concepts so I'll be very loose on magic types, but try to change things and be as original and unique as possible but have fun with it!

\- I'll be pretty loose on judging OP character considering the universe this is set in, but please think about the characters age as well as their current level of realistic talents and experiences. I understand that there will be exceptions to this, but I don't want a ton of very young teenage characters that are already S-Class or children with extremely powerful magic. Be as realistic as you can, please! **S-Class characters should be 21 years old and up, and I'll only be accepting four in total as of the moment.**

\- Limited siblings/relations as main OCs. If you're submitting more than one OC after you've PMed me, then you are allowed to send siblings/relations but I will be limited on this as to give more people a chance to apply for main spots, and the story doesn't automatically become about one specific OC and their life. I want everyone to have a fair amount of the spotlight here.

\- DO NOT SEND IN AN ALREADY ACCEPTED OC WITHOUT ANY EDITS, CHANGE IT UP SOME! If you have an OC that is already in a story, then do not send them in unedited. If the story never started or you didn't get accepted, then you don't have to change your oc up, you can send it as is. I don't want previously accepted characters here that HAVE been used though, unless you change them up quite a bit, including their name and appearance. You don't have to completely rewrite it or anything, but make enough changes to where it's not the same exact form you've sent in. As long as the name is changed as well as a few other parts then you should be okay.

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 ** _Character Form_** : (Delete everything in parenthesis before turning in. You must fill out everything unless the section is labeled as optional)

 **Name:**

 **Nickname(s):**

 **Age:** (a minimum of 12 and up)

 **Gender:**

 **Race:** (Human, Exceed, etc.)

 **Sexuality:**

 **Class:** (From D to S, D meaning the lowest ranking and S the highest. I will only be accepting 4 S class OCs, and they have to be 21 yrs and up. You may pick any class and work your way up to a higher level)

 **Appearance:** (Please be descriptive here, give me something to go off of. Don't just tell me black hair, blue eyes, tall, skinny. Please have some detail. Keep in mind hair color, length, and style, eyes, height, skin tone, build, guild mark and location, any scars, piercings, other tattoos or marks, etcetera.)

 **Clothing/Outfits** (You can list articles of clothing or give me standard outfits, it's up to you. Include their style of clothing either one outfit or multiple, or articles of clothing styles.)

 **Personality:** (Make this section as descriptive and detailed in explanation as possible! I prefer quality over quantity, but I would like for this section to be long and elaborate. Think of real people and how they act, their flaws, etc. Just who is your OC? What are they like? How do they act in situations? What are their traits? Their motivations/drive, what makes them function? Why are they this way? Give me the details on who your OC is. If this section is too short then I will skip your form, give me more than a few sentences please.)

 **Likes:** (Minimum of 5)

 **Dislikes:** (Minimum of 5. Avoid telling me obvious facts, such as traitors, villains, etc.)

 **Hobbies:** (Optional *)

 **Habits:** (Optional * Any quirks or ticks your character has. Example: Gray's stripping habit, etc.)

 **Fears:** (Optional *)

 **Strengths:** (Minimum of 3. This can include skills, fighting style, personality, etc.)

 **Weaknesses:** (Minimum of 3. This can include their magic, fighting style, personality, etc.)

History: (Tell me about their lives all the way up to joining their guild. I want to know the important details of their life, their experiences. How did their history mold them into who they are today? Where did they come from? Who did they live with? Please be detailed here and feel free to write whatever you would like. Don't just give me one or two sentences, telling me they were an orphan who randomly found the guild, without explaining what happened to their family or any important aspects of their life. If something happened to their family, then tell me a little about it. Maybe explain how they learned their magic, and so on. Remember that the year is X923, so 120 years since all of the events of Natsu and the destruction of Zeref.)

 **Family & Relations:** (Include any important family member, pet, friend, etc. that pertains to your characters life. Give me a brief description of each and how your OC feels about them.)

 **Guild:** (Nova Bloom, a light guild or dark guild)

 **How long have they been a member of the guild?:**

 **Why did they choose to join?:**

 **Magic:** (Please refer to the rules for this section on what magic isn't acceptable and please do not completely copy canon characters. This is where you should tell me a bit about their magic type, such as what it is, how it works, where they learned it, strengths, weaknesses, is it defensive or offensive, maybe both?, etc. You may include a maximum of two types of magic, but I prefer for only one type of magic. If you have two, you need to have a good reason for it, and it needs to make sense, so nothing like "lightning and celestial magic." They should relate to each other in some way. Not everyone will be allowed to have two types, so this will be very limited! Make sure to ask first if you want to submit a slayer type of OC, for this will be limited as well, as I prefer for them not to be used.)

 **Spells:** (This is where you should list your spells and explanations for each spell. You can include ones they already learned as well as ones they will learn in the future. Please give me a minimum of 5 spells and do not copy canon characters.)

 **Weapons:** (Optional * Tell me any weapons that your character may have and an explanation. Make sure it relates to their magic and isn't extremely overpowered)

 **Magic circle:** (Color and design)

 **Stat Ratings -** This section will tell me more about your oc and what type of skills they hold, as well as help me to compare them to other characters for creating teams, rivals, etcetera. Please do not give your OC 20 points on every section, please be realistic! Your OC should have strengths and weaknesses and can improve over time. 20 Points total per section should be for S Class ONLY, 10 Points total is for D-C Class, and B-A should be a total of 15 Points per section. Do not max every section out.

Speed: (?/?)

Intelligence: (?/?)

Physical Strength: (?/?)

Magical Strength: (?/?)

Defense (?/?)

Teamwork: (?/?)

Agility/Stealth: (?/?)

Technique: (?/?)

End Stats.

 **Friends:** (What kind of people would they get along with or want to interact with?)

 **Enemies:** (What kind of people would they dislike or not get along with? Avoid the obvious such as dark guild members.)

 **Love Interest:** (Optional * If your OC would like a love interest, please tell me yes and describe what kind of person they would fall for and how they would act around them. You may list traits or even give examples. You can also give me a storyline idea for romance if you'd like, or just leave it all to me.)

 **How would they act in a stressful or deadly situation?:** (Optional *)

 **Are they the type of person to be in charge of a group?:** (Optional *)

 **Do they prefer working in groups or alone?:**

 **Do they have any goals? If so, what are they?:**

 **Living/Housing:** (Where does your character live and description of housing? In a house, apartment, the dorms, etc.):

 **Quotes:** (Optional *)

 **Plot ideas or Arc:** (Do you have ideas for your character? Or maybe just in general? You want to fight a villain from your past? Maybe have some side quest that has been nagging your OC for a while? A love triangle? Anything goes in this section! Optional *)

 **Anything else I may have missed:**

 ** _Additional questions for villain OCs-_**

Why did you choose to become a villain and what are your goals as a villain? (Why are you this way? Did a specific event in your life set you down this path? Or were you maybe just corrupted from the start? Think about why a person would become a villain, this can be any reason.):

Would you change sides if the opportunity arose? And if so, why? (What kind of event would make you change your ways and would you feel remorseful for your offenses (such as Jellal and Ultear)? Again, this can be any reason):

Do you have any other motive or goals besides being a villain? (Goals in life you wish to accomplish outside of being a villain. Maybe you wish to find your lost sibling? Or you want to become a talented mage. Anything goes.):

Criminal Record (Any offenses I should know of that you've committed? Maybe robbing a bank, taking down another guild, committed murder, etc.):

* * *

 _ **Job Request Form** _\- (This is an optional form for ideas for a job request that OCs can go on.)

Job Request Idea/Information:

Requestor: (Optional *)

Number of characters needed to take the job:

Warnings and requirements:

Possible ideas for things to happen to the OC during this request: (Ex. Lucy and Natsu go on a request to find a missing item for a requestor. The item was actually stolen by the requestor to start with, but Natsu and Lucy aren't aware and the requestor wants them to do the dirty work of getting the illegal item back.)


	2. Accepted Characters (Frequent updating)

_Hey again everyone! I wanted to thank you all for the follows and lovely reviews. I was so surprised by the positive response to my story, and you guys have really motivated me to work even harder on making my vision come true with this adventure. So thank you guys so much, I'm very thankful for your support. You all have no idea how much it means to me, thank you! :) I'm happy to be writing this for you all, and I hope I won't disappoint!_

 _This page will be updated regularly as more characters come in, so check this for accepted OCs that will show up in the story. Like I said, this list will be updated pretty frequently, so don't worry if you don't see your OC here yet. I haven't decided on a deadline date yet, but I'll post one soon. Please let me know if you have any questions!_

 _I also have decided to put a few minor OCs of my own here and there, not as main characters (Minus Cherry Faredust, who will be one of the main guild members but not the main character), but side characters where we need them for the plot of the story, so you might see a few random characters that appear now and then just to keep the story going. Here my primary focus will be on the OCs submitted to me as main characters and I will not have one main character or a character who is over the rest. I've seen lots of writers have their character as the main, but that will not happen here. I will try my best to give everyone equal airtime, so please don't worry about unfairness. Everyone will have their time to shine, for I firmly believe in having the story follow many characters as mains and I want to be sure everyone has a good amount of screen time and fairness._

 _You can still find the OC form on my profile to copy and fill out if you're interested in submitting. And again, please make sure to read the rules before submitting! **Any characters are welcome, and all guilds and positions (except for Nova Bloom OCs) are opened!**_

SYOC OPEN!

 _\- clairvoyage_

 ** _UPDATE: Nova Bloom guild is closed for OCs! Other guilds and positions are still open. Thank you!_**

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 ** _Accepted Characters List (Frequently Updating)_**

 _ **Light Guild Members:**_

 _ **Nova Bloom:**_

 _ **Males -**_

Yun Akari - 24 yrs - _S_ _Class_ \- Evil Lord's Magic - ( _Submitted_ _by_ : **_Shiro_ **_**Kurai**_ **)**

Han Aragami Sattori - 46 yrs - _S Class_ \- Ninpo Magic - ( _Submitted_ _by_ : **_DeathTheManiac_** )

Zavid Strydr - 26 yrs - _S Class_ \- Wind Lord Magic - (Submitted by: **_alucard deathsinger_ )**

Ace Eiddwen - 20 yrs - _A Class_ \- Contract Magic - _(Submitted by: **primalfreak** )_

Rahk Lufulu - 17 yrs - _A Class_ \- Lightning Magic - ( _Submitted by:_ **_Derekjay2000_** )

Ibaraki Doji - 21 yrs - _A Class_ \- Hells Gate Magic - (Submitted by: **_Malfel_** )

Sylvain Faelund - 22 yrs - _B_ _Class_ \- Faerie Soul Take Over - ( _Submitted_ _by_ : **_pine_** _**swiftwings**_ )

Ernest Skelter - 23 yrs - _B Class_ \- Bone Magic - ( _Submitted by:_ **_Exotence_** )

Gwyneira Tushar - 140 Elves yrs - _B Class_ \- Frost Magic - (Submitted by: **_MikaTsukari_** )

Katsunori Ashpeak - 19 yrs - _B Class_ \- Firecracker Magic - _(Submitted by:_ **_PeachSkies_** )

Nicolai Dellucci - 18 yrs - _C Class_ \- Celestial Spirit Magic - (Submitted by: **_Fallenstreet01_** )

Acro Picasso-Atlas - 15 yrs - _D Class_ \- Clay Make Magic - ( _Submitted by:_ **_MaMcMu_** )

 _ **Females -**_

Ayame Yuki - 29 yrs - _S Class_ \- Invisibility Magic - _(Submitted by: **Reduced20** )_

Noire Jeanne-Pierre - 25 yrs - _S Class_ \- Hex Magic - (Submitted by: **_MusixDrag_** )

Wynnfriede Forst - 23 yrs - _S Class_ \- Smith Magic - (Submitted by: _**Yngvarr Frey**_ )

Crystal Sakura - 19 yrs - _A_ _Class_ \- Molecular and Crystal Magic - ( _Submitted by:_ **_SoulManipulator_** )

Liadonna Tabris - 24 yrs - _A Class_ \- Blood Magic - ( _Submitted by:_ **_Ziggymia123)_**

Delilah Kopitar - 25 yrs - _A Class_ \- Dream Magic - ( _Submitted by:_ **_SanityRequiem_** )

Solianna Valterra - 16 yrs - _B Class_ \- Earth Dragon Slayer Magic ( _Submitted by:_ **_KorianneAnders_** )

Florence Baker - 24 yrs - _B Class_ \- Takeover Magic: Beast Soul and Requip - (Submitted by: **_Quake Shatterfist_** )

Amaralia Livgen - 23 yrs - _B Class_ \- Code Magic - (Submitted by: **_Sesumi_** )

Cherry Faredust - 17 yrs - _C Class_ \- Nature Magic - _(Submitted by: author)_

Miranda Kramer - 20 yrs - _C_ _Class_ \- Mirror and Glass Magic - _(Submitted by:_ **_gray cloud 12_** )

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 ** _Other light guild members:_**

 ** _Pixie Heart:_**

Raine Ariana Gainsbogo - 19 yrs - Transformation Magic - (Submitted by: **_ShadowWolf223_** )

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 ** _Dark Guild members:_**

 _ **Dryad Skull:**_

 ** _Males -_**

Melos Dysnomia - 23 yrs - Gift of the Muse - ( _Submitted_ _by_ : **_pine_** _**swiftwings**_ )

Blaine Ainsley - 29 yrs - Pressure Magic - (Submitted by: **_FrozenHydra_** )

Brutus Forreton - 18 yrs - Absorption forcefield magic - (Submitted by: **_onyxwhip_** )

Clover Crainus - 22 yrs - Mental Magic - (Submitted by: **_Mudkiplovr123_** )

 ** _Females -_**

Enid Smythe - 33 yrs - Soulsight - ( _Submitted by:_ **_Exotence_** )

Lucinda Striker - 19 yrs - Wheel of Fortune - (Submitted by: **_LunaRose2468_** )


	3. Prologue Preview Part 1

_Thank you all so much for the follows and lovely reviews for my story. I'm so touched by all of the interest and support! I'm very excited to work on this story, so please feel free to join in the adventure! Anyone is welcome to apply as long as you follow the rules. ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ Check out the first page for information on the timeline and the guild. Don't hesitate to come to me if you have questions or need help with anything. I also want to give a special thanks and shoutout to **Primalfreak **for agreeing to beta this story for me. He has been a huge motivator for me, and I can't thank him enough for his help. I was too busy rushing this for him to get to really beta the preview, so please ignore my mistakes if you can. I'll be coming back and editing this later when I have the time. _

_So here is my prologue preview! Yes, yes I know.. 'What the heck, why just a preview!?' I wanted to give you guys something to introduce the guild master as well as give a feel for my writing and what to expect. This is only a preview to the prologue, since I'm actually going to be extremely busy for the next few days working on projects for classes since I'm a college student but I wanted to go ahead and update to let you guys known I'm working on this story and I'm still excited to start everything. Once these projects are out of the way then I'll be able to upload the full prologue next week, so expect a very large chapter coming up! :) I cannot wait to introduce all of these wonderful OCs I've been given, I have so many ideas and I really want to showcase everyone well._

 _Constructive Criticism is welcome and please remember that if your OC is chosen, then try to review ever so often so your OC won't be removed! Thank you! I'm anxious and excited for you to read this, since it is the beginning but I'm not entirely thrilled with the outcome but I hope you enjoy the preview (LONG AS HECK PREVIEW, GEEZ..)._

 _ **-**_ clairvoyage

 _ **Syoc open for all guilds EXCEPT Nova Bloom. Form and rules on my profile.**_

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Fairy Tail or the Kingdom of Seven, but I do own the Nova Bloom Guild, Noelle Aguellon, Cherry Faredust, and a few other minor OCs.

 **Wordcount** : 6,616

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 **Prologue Preview**

 **Year X923**

 **Location: Nova Inn**

 **5:41 a.m.**

 **Twilight Grove, the Kingdom of Seven**

They say that storms brought either two things, a devastating hurricane with dire consequences, the breakthrough that warps and thrashes, drowning all around it. Or, in the rare case, they brought a cleansing douse, washing away the struggles and drought, the bad times disappearing down the drain into a mud puddle and a fresh start bloomed like a blossoming bud from the soggy soil. To her, only time would tell what the storm meant, whether it was cleansing or dowsing hurricane. And right now, as another wave of lighting flash from the skies, lighting up the circular window and painting patterns on her face and the floorboards in the early hours, Noelle wasn't sure what this one held. Hopefully, something good would come of it, but she figured they'd find out soon either way.

Thunder cracked and rolled, booming in the early hours of the morning, just as lightning flashed over the cityscape from afar, lighting up the dark grey sky like a pin-striped beacon. The soft yet unyielding pitter-patter of rain thudded against the murky glass of the second story window of the cozy inn, serving as background music to her musing. The dewy smell of morning rain soothed her aging, tired soul. Ahh, ' _peaceful_ ,' she smiled softly, fixing her gaze on the silhouette of the town below. The scene looked so picturesque under the watercolor sky, a cutout of greys, blacks, and blues. What a calming presence that hyped her up for the awaiting day.

Light blue slipper-clad feet shuffled against the polished wooden floorboards as the aging woman finished tying her thick flower patterned robe with a small drawstring at the waist with rough, tanned hands before dropping them to her sides. It was peacefully quiet in the mornings, she thought, a quiet chuckle escaping her thinning pale lips. This was one of the only times she could get work done without worrying about a customer or brute causing a ruckus and boy, did she enjoy these brief morning hours, Noelle hummed to herself before folding the last blanket and placing it on the corner of her bed.

And also, it did give her the opportunity to get away from her pesky children. Not that she was complaining, per se, but it was a nice little break from her daily tasks.

The choir of nature really was a beautiful sound, indeed, like a special, secret performance just for her in the wee hours of the morning. A secret she held dear to her chest. Twilight Grove, a relatively medium-sized city, located nearest to one of the largest ship-ports in the Kingdom of Seven, and farthest away from the capital in the city of Edenthorn, overlooked a vast ocean that, of course, meant rainfall wasn't an out of the ordinary experience. Living so close to the sea meant she'd experienced quite a bit of storms in her life. They were never her favorite as a child, no, what with the drowning rain making the vegetation soggy and the roads covered in deep muddy puddles, and loud chorus of ear-pounding thunder and the scary flashes of deadly lightning, it seemed like all storms did were ruin the fun and keep her from heading outside to play.

Oh yes, she remembered the times that even the slightest hint of a grey cloud would bring a frown to her youthful face. It was almost comical to think of now and almost brought a smile to her wrinkling face. But now, with the spring rain pouring down on the lush cityscape, hiding the slumbering little inn with a protective cape, it was something she grew to become grateful for in adulthood. For, after this spring shower, the land would bloom and flourish into a mix of gorgeous hues and ripe, fertile crops that would supply the towns and cities with food. There were many good reasons to thank the spring storms, that was for sure.

The woman shook her head, a smile playing at the corners of her lips, and moved closer to the small wooden framed mirror at her painted oak carved dressing table situated in the corner of the bedroom, illuminated by the soft glow of a delicately painted glass table lamp. She quickly brought her hands up to the short stock of shoulder-length, muted green hair and with nimble fingers, tied it back into a small ponytail at the base of her neck.

The green haired woman was a relatively healthy figure, that was a little plumper around the middle, but nevertheless, a sturdy woman in her late fifties, quickly nearing her sixties. Her stoutness kept her going, made her seem younger compared to the other elderly ladies in the village. With rosy cheekbones, tanned, sun-kissed complexion from years of working in the inn's gardens, lightly wrinkling features, and almond-shaped, warm brown eyes framed by red, cat-eye glasses, Noelle Aguellon was anything but a frail old woman.

Noelle appeared to others as an average woman in her later years of life, though bridging on eccentric, she was someone who was, by first glance or even second, unassuming by most in the small rural city of Twilight Grove. Most city residents knew of Noelle, the innkeeper near the heart of the town, and her reputation. She was friendly and warm, never hesitating to lend a hand or offer children scampering by a cookie for the road. She had so many things going at once that sometimes it looked like she would never finish it all, but somehow she managed. She acted like a typical jolly woman, hardworking and dedicated to her prospects, never once skipping out on a days work. She carried on the legacy of her husband's bed and breakfast, years after his passing, as one would assume appropriate from someone as kind-hearted as her.

Villagers took pity on her because of her duties as head of the household thanks to her husband's passing, but she never once felt burdened. You could find her at the front desk, booking a room for a visitor while folding a high pile of laundry, or out in the back and side gardens of the quaint little inn, or possibly cooking up a meal for one of her border guests. The green haired woman was never one to stop and take a break, she was always a flurry of busyness, flitting from one chore to the next. Her work never seemed to be done. But oh, was she so much more than just some regular older woman.

Oh no, not with _her_ secret.

Looking at herself in the reflection for another split second she decided she looked good enough for the moment and quickly pivoted around. For a woman so stout, she moved with ease through the small cozy bedroom, washed in shades of warm reds, dark blues, and purples. The furniture, much like everything else in the simple inn, was made of oak and cherry wood, all neutral shades that made her feel relaxed and made for a comforting and homey environment for patrons. A large, queen sized, wooden frame bed set to the left of the only window in the room, where it was piled high with hand-stitched quilts of all colors and patterns. A tall, bronze frame floor lamp was placed in the corner behind the rocking chair that set facing the window, a book left on the purple cushion from her nightly reading, with a small dresser placed at the foot of her bed that held her wardrobe among other items. Her bedroom was a sparsely decorated but fitted her needs to a tee.

Noelle made her way to the other side of the room and bending at the waist; she gathered up three empty wicker baskets that were left next to the door. With a huff, she lifted them all into her arms like they couldn't weigh more than a feather. But to Noelle, it didn't really make a difference either way, for there was work to be done and she needed to get on it before the day all but flew by. She had customers to check in and needed to make extra room for possible mages that needed tending after last night's attack by a dark guild near Seavale, just a town over from Twilight Grove. Noelle sighed at the thought, a slight twinge of pain squeezing her chest and for a second, the greenette let her eyes slip shut, baskets still in hand, to steady the storm of emotion raging in her heart. Those poor mages and civilians caught in the crossfire, she could imagine just what they were going through, losing their homes and loved ones in the blink of an eye.

Word of the attack had got around from a patron who had checked in for the night. He was a middle-aged man, here from the very site for a work transfer and had seen the flames from the attack while passing through. Noelle had been skeptical of the man at first who had conveniently witness the attack yet couldn't explain exactly what he'd seen, but she had written him off as an innocent bystander and instead sent some of her pride to check out the incident in her place. Hopefully, she could count on her children to find out some truth to the matter, she thought with a short nod of determination. Attacks similar to these had grown frequent in the last few months, and she couldn't quite figure out the cause or reason. So many people had been losing their lives and not only because of the war that still plagued their kingdom. Whatever was going on had to be stopped before all of the legal light guilds left were utterly destroyed. Her grip tightened on the rough wicker material in her arms, feeling the weaving scratch into her weary skin and bringing her back to reality.

Right! She straightened up, her back letting out a satisfying crack in the silence at her efforts, she had work to do rather than dilly-dallying in the doorway. She had an inn and guild to run! She couldn't get things done merely by wasting time, that was for sure, and Noelle wasn't one to give up. A small smile crawled its way onto her features as she remembered her duties and the woman quickly set about heading down the hall to the inn's small laundry room. Noelle breathed a sigh of relief as she turned the corner to just outside of her destination when a strange, ominous feeling washed over her and stopped dead in her tracks.

"What in the world," the elderly woman started, eyebrows shooting up to her hairline just as the strange feeling intensified. Almost subconsciously, she dropped the baskets at her feet, unaware of them rolling across the landing. An uncomfortable knot wounded tightly in her stomach, and before she knew what was happening, her feet were moving on their own, shifting her into a complete turnaround.

Suddenly, through the soundtrack of pounding raindrops, Noelle's ears perked up. A loud crash boomed from somewhere downstairs, followed by a shrill, high pitched yell that could only be one of her children, startling the woman into action. Voices, angry voices floated up from somewhere below, a clear argument brimming and possibly on the verge of a fight. A twinge of worry struck her, and her smile wilted, replaced by a furrow of her thin brows, wrinkling the tanned skin between her eyes as anxiety pulsed through her veins. This couldn't be a good sign, she mused with short puffs of breath, whatever it was could be an emergency of some sort. It was too early in the morning for this to be a mere accident.

' _Oh dear me, just what is it now? Has the seal broken?_ ' Noelle sighed to herself with a determined narrowing of her eyes. Carefully maneuvering around the empty baskets now littering the floor, she reached with steady hands and lifted the hem of her robe in two tightly wound fists, exposing her slipped feet to the world for easy traction. She wouldn't be falling down the stairs to get to some brute, that's for sure! Not sparing another second, with robe in hand, the sturdy woman raced down the landing, not without forgetting to shut the door behind her and bounded down the stairs as cautiously as possible, ignoring the familiar creaks of the old wooden steps and outright avoiding the rough chips of the handrails from years of use. A loud drum solo beat away in her chest at the quick pace mixed with the pit of dread that had dropped itself down into her stomach, blood rushing through her ears like a waterfall. ' _If I have to fight this early before I have my morning tea,_ ' she thought, ' _then so be it. But that doesn't mean I'm not worried for my children_.'

The long, wooden staircase was to the right of the small lobby of sorts, well, what she called a lobby but was more of a foyer with a small, overly cluttered desk, adjacent to the stairs. Yes it was tiny and cramped, and the books and paperwork just kept growing higher and higher, but dammit, it got the job done, and that's all she could ask for. Though, this spot meant that she had a good chance of seeing any intruder that might be sneaking in the front doors before the intruder even noticed her presence, so she leaned to the side to step as close to the wallpaper as possible to keep herself shielded from prying eyes. The darkness gave her some advantage, painting her in a shield that she didn't have to summon herself. This was familiar territory, comfortable and left her confident she would like her outcome from the vantage point.

' _Whoever dared to cause such a ruckus would be facing my wrath before they even knew what hit 'em_!' The green haired woman smirked to herself, ruby red cat-eye glasses glinting with the hint of lighting from the small candles lining the sidewall. They had another thing coming if they thought they could waltz in here and cause trouble. Noelle wouldn't stand for such inappropriate actions taking place in her sanctuary. She might not be the toughest foe around, but when the members of her guild were at stake, nothing would stand in her way. She sure would give whoever responsible a good beating if that's what things called for.

From the staircase, Noelle's eyes immediately cast down on the back of a familiar head facing away towards the front entrance of the inn, and she had to bite back the surprised gasp that threatened to spill. Goodness, what is this? Noelle's eyebrows furrowed in interest. She was too far up to make out anything with her hearing not as good as it use to be, but it looked as if someone might be carrying on a conversation with another person outside. One figure stood below and looked to be barricading the door off from whomever may be on the outside.

The tall figure was encased in all black, like the shadows that danced around the foyer. The person was obviously male from his build, slightly broad shoulders that tapered off into a slim but muscular physique. He held the door open in a crack, just barely letting light spill in from outside which is how she could just make out the beads of rain that still dripped from his coat. Messy black hair that looks similar to bedhead, that was possibly the case this early in the morning, blending into the raging storm outside. Well now, that did answer her question. She could pick out that form anywhere. But since when did Ace answer the door? She squinted in confusion, lips ticking at the sides causing her laugh lines to pull across her tanned face.

Slowly, she took another few steps down, cautiously trekking closer to the boy without giving herself away. From the proximity, she could finally pick up subtle bits of conversation through the thunderstorm outside. Ace has a distinctly serious tone, a slightly deep and comforting soprano and she could tell it wasn't he who was doing most of the talking. An accusing, distinctively male tone, harsh and cold rang out into the room. So this was the intruder then? Noelle inquired, of course, it would be some boisterous male at this hour, she thought, nose wrinkling in distaste.

"Come on boy. Tell us what you were doing out so early, huh! And why did you come back here with a heavy bag? You out doing a job?" The voice roughly implied, despite being slightly muffled by the door, he was so loud that she could make him out in clear day, barking his inquiry that instantly made Noelle's blood boil with anger.

' _So that's what they're here for_ ,' she seethed, blinking over to the quite, dark-haired male. It all made sense now. They must have followed Ace from town to his job location or at least caught him sometime on the way there and back. And since he wasn't a known registered dark guild member or legal light guild, they were trying to find some reason to take him to the capital. How dare they push the poor boy! _Her_ poor boy.

"Please sirs, he was just running errands for the innkeeper. We work for her," the soft voice pleaded, causing her ears to perk up and her heart to stop for a nanosecond. _Cherry's there as well?_ Noelle felt her eyes widening in realization at the situation and how dangerous it had become. Not only was Ace being confronted but Cherry had to go at somehow get herself involved in the crossfire. For someone usually so level-headed, she never could resist when it came to her trusted childhood friend. Even now, probably being awoken by the confrontation, she didn't hesitate to try to disperse the situation from getting out of hand. That stubborn little girl would never learn.

 _That child should be in bed! Both of them should be._

"Cherry, go back to bed. I can handle this," Ace bellowed, his eyes never once leaving the men on the other side of the door. His exclaim was an absolute order that left no room for question, and the pink haired girl's cheeks puffed out in determination, though her petite frame trembled with emotion. She glanced up at the back of his messy mop of raven hair and muttered, a frown on her lips. She was at a clear crossroad, stuck between doing as the older boy said, or going against his wishes like her heart desired.

"No," the girl replied in a wobbly tone, her voice wavering yet she instantly stepped forward, inching closer to the other as if her slight form wasn't shaking with dread. "He was doing a job for the owner. We work at this inn thanks to her taking us in. He..-he didn't do anything wrong… He was just helping." The pink haired girl trailed off pleadingly, and the unmistakable sound of boots against the stone outside made Noelle's heart leap into her chest.

 _These intruders weren't getting anywhere near her home!_

Leaving no time for the younger to make a decision, the older woman quickly charged forward, making her way down the rest of the steps with ease, though that's when she noticed the shorter figure come into view. The girl was hard to miss, even if the darkness of the room, what with her long and wild, wavy light pink hair that resembled more of a fluffy cloud at the moment. Her fair skin that shown like a light, down to the matching purple pajama set with a longsleeved button-up blouse and fringy shorts that practically swallowed her short yet curvy frame. She idly hovered behind the much taller boy, barely a hairs length away, her body just visible by the small flickering candles that aligned the stairs, their flames bathing the girl in a soft orangey hue. Cherry was ridged, her body all uncertain lines of frustration and worry, her left foot was a step back from the other, giving her the option to pivot if needed. That could only be one person.

Ace, on the other hand, looked ready to fight at the drop of a hat, his taller, lean figure was positioned in an open stance, his feet six inches apart and legs slightly bending at the knee. _Oh god_ , Noelle's blood instantly froze over, ice now running through her veins at the sight. If he fought, that meant using magic against the Army of Seven that was forbidden. There was no way in hell she could get him out of such a fate without bringing the entirety of the guild into action, which, by default meant one thing - exposing her guild to the enemy.

"Cherry, what's going on here, child? Do we have a customer? Check-in isn't until 7:30, I hope they know," Noelle found her voice as her slipper-clad feet hit the bottom step and it was all but a passive-aggressive snap. It took everything in her not to sound overly aggravated to alarm whoever may be outside. If it was trouble, she had to be cautious, especially with two of her pride in the way. But she couldn't pretend that she wasn't irritated by this unexpected presence.

At the address, the petite, seventeen-year-old quickly snapped her head in the woman's direction, green eyes wide in surprise at the other's presence, just as the twenty-year-old Ace glanced at Noelle out of the corner of his eye, seeing his master approaching from the stairs and quickly moved to compose himself though not entirely dropping his battle-ready stance. Cherry's face was the picture of concern, her eyebrows knitted together with the short, wispy waves of bangs just barely brushing the fine lines, lips pursed together like she wanted to say something but thought better of it, with a glance at whoever was on the other side of the door who had fallen silent.

After a beat of unsure silence, "Grandmother, we have some- um.. visitors," Cherry informed in her soft-spoken lit as she nervously glanced towards the young man in front of her, who was keeping said visitor out. A hint of fear flitted across her face, whether it was for her own safety or theirs, Noelle couldn't decide, but the woman had a clue of who it might be for. But Cherry looked to be trying her best to hold it back at least for her sake, her slightly stubborn streak showing through. When that girl was determined, it was difficult to change her mind. Noelle's sharp eyes didn't miss the squeeze of the girl's fists at her sides, like she wanted to reach out and pull the other boy back from danger, but instead sucked her plush bottom lip into her mouth, pearly white jewels of teeth flashing in the light to lightly bite down on the flesh.

'Poor child,' Noelle tsked in fondness, unknownst to the younger girl, 'oh to be young again.' A warmth grew in her chest like a flame, a soft glow that rapidly spread like wildfire until her eyes were flashing with the same intensity. She would not let her children be bothered like this or have random strangers invade her home. She worked too damn hard for someone to take all of it away, and she wouldn't let them force Ace into exposing himself for their sick game. The green haired woman quickly moved forward, the tail of her robes trailing over the woven blue rug under her feet and with a gentle pat on the shoulder to the pinkette, she spared a brief moment to gaze into the girl's fearful eyes. Leveling her with a firm look that the smaller blinked back and using the moment, Noelle wedged herself in between the youngest, and the dark haired boy.

"My, my, what is this?" She asked before crossing her hands over her full chest, successfully shielding Cherry from the sight of the offenders and ignoring the nervous whine from the younger. Not on my watch Sonnys,' she smirked to herself. No one said anything, not that she expected anything from the typically serious and standoffish boy, but she could read his body-language enough to know that he was uncomfortable. It wasn't typical of Ace to approach social situations, especially without prompting unless it was for job purposes or he was with a well-known acquaintance, but even then, it was rare for him to take such initiative outside of a purpose, so something must be going on. Even engaging with customers besides something formal wasn't normal.

"These men followed me back to the inn, grandmother and are insisting I have made some misdemeanor," Came Ace's clipped retort, nostrils flaring a bit as he struggled to keep himself calm, which typically wasn't a challenging feat. This definitely confirmed her earlier suspicions. The boy was being awfully cold, a dead seriousness that left little room for confrontation and she couldn't blame the boy. His senses were on high alert and protection mode was taking over.

'Well, looks like I was right then. But sometimes I hate when I'm right,' she mused before straightening up a little taller in the doorway.

From this angle, she could make out Ace's tense figure, and tight-lipped expression. His blue eyes that usually were calm pools of deep clear night-skies and the gentle swirl of the seas were now a raging storm of emotion, flitting between discomfort, distrust, and annoyance, to protective nature. Whatever conversation had been going on had dropped entirely by the time she had rounded the staircase, meaning that she had a pretty good idea these two knew who she was and were waiting on her to make the first move. Ace seemed to realize this as well, for his grip on the door immediately tightened as if he was ready to slam it in their faces the first sign of a threat.

"Are you the owner of this establishment?" A rough voice barked out against the thunder in the distance, sounding gravelly and harsh to her ears. A streak of lightning flashed, seemingly closer this time, and lit up the man's face and the big scar running from his right temple, through his eyebrow, stopping just over his cheekbone. A shadow of rough stubble covered his chin, and under his sharp nose. His complexion dark, matching his equally dark eyes that glinted with mirth.

Over the threshold, Noelle peered at the two intruders that stood under the little awning that covered the doorstep from the rainfall that pelted on the stone steps leading up to the building, exposing the grey skies that slowly lightened as the minutes ticked by. A large hand-painted bright blue, wooden sign hung from the porch over their heads, with the words 'Nova Inn,' carved with curly script, an ornamental border surrounding the name along with a small picture centered underneath. The picture was a luminous painting, though small in size, with soft and magical hues of bright, brilliant lights, a Supernova, lighting up the starry sky. The men paled in comparison to the luminous burst of hopeful light.

Both were tall, granted, she wasn't the shortest person around, but they were a sight for sore eyes, ones that she had to peer up through her spectacles. With the earliness of the hour, it was hard to make out their faces, but if the glints of their attire were anything to go, the deep red of their coats, reminiscent of stained blood of the innocence from years of torment, with black accents around the collars and sleeves. But what was most noticeable were the emblems etched into the chest, the ornate swirls and slashes, a pride mark of the royal family's style from years prior, which confirmed her theory of them being members of Seven's guild. The two men were brimming with arrogance and pride, their chests puffing out like show dogs despite being drenched to the bone by the storm that raged on behind them, seemingly unaffected by the weather. The tallest one, an orange haired man, held a smug smirk that flashed even darker when her gaze met his own, the cold hazel eyes meeting the intensity of rich brown.

Disgusting brutes, she inwardly scoffed as she heard Ace let out a quiet huff of his own and she quickly steeled herself. If she was having a tough time, it didn't matter, because he was having it worse. Noelle cleared her throat, immediately holding back the scowl that threatened to make an appearance and instead forced the politest of smiles on her aging face, softening the hard edges to more inviting and open expression. Her arms dropped down from being crossed over her chest, and she rose one up to clutch the door frame, and the other gently rested on the raven-haired boy's forearm. Ace flinched in surprise at the sudden touch, and she did all she could to radiate comfort to the boy until some of the tension notably left his shoulders.

Everyone knew that if you were paid a visit by any of the King's men that good things never came from it. And these two looked like the definition of trouble. The last thing she needed was two guards snooping around the place. Her barrier magic was in place over the inn, keeping most of the secrets that didn't warrant attention, sealed from prying eyes. However, if anyone were to specifically be looking, they could break the seal, exposing the guild for what it was.

"Oh why yes I am, son. Please excuse me for the rude delay, sending my beloved children to get the door at such an hour instead of myself. Oh silly me! Now, what's this about accusing my employee? Ace is a good boy, I can promise you. He runs all of my errands perfectly. Such a kind boy, really," Noelle let out a jolly, croak of a laugh, her kind voice taking on a playful twinge that had Ace and Cherry both glancing at her in confusion. The two men also shared similar looks, reading along the lines of 'this is the owner?' Before glancing back at the woman with newfound annoyance. Of course, she knew what they were here for, or had a few ideas at least, and she wasn't about to give these men what they wanted. Not in her establishment.

The scarred faced man suddenly took a step forward, eyes dark and narrowed distrustingly, and from the corner of her eye, she saw Ace shift in position, his free hand flinching. Her throat immediately constricted with fear of what he might do, dreading the worst. Ace was a level-headed young man, she knew that the twenty-year-old wouldn't step out of line or give in to anger, but still - continuously provoked and pushed to his very distant limits, Ace might do something they both would regret.

If she remembered correctly, Ace had been gone on yet another mission far out in another town, so for him to be back this early with company meant either something had happened while on the job or these two were yet another nosy onlooker who heard the rumors around town. Nova Bloom wasn't a newly registered guild under bylaw of the new King and was only established a little over thirteen years ago after she'd just started using spare rooms that weren't being rented out in the inn as shelters. Guilds weren't illegal, per-say but to form a guild under new laws meant that they had to be approved by the King, and those that were lucky enough to meet approval instantly regretted such. Even the thought made her stomach churn and heart serge in her chest. Those under authorization were what people used to call dark guilds and only abide by the laws set in new times, leaving light guilds to fall under the restrictions of magic, though even the dark guilds numbers had dropped lately in replacement with the King's own army growing substantially. The light guilds that were left were extremely scarce in numbers and had been formed years upon years ago. These rare guilds were holding fast to their morality and trying to still manage to follow the codes of honor upheld by guilds of the past, without success.

Magic wasn't forbidden for anyone. Seven's people were still allowed to use it though with heavy restrictions. Everyday tasks and simple magic were acceptable, and anything else was completely forbid unless you were apart of an approved guild or the King's army. Practing such outside of approval meant you were taken to the kingdom, a fate that no one wanted to face. Though, it seemed that lately, even the approved guilds only used their magic for the army's biding and when they didn't and used magic for their own purposes, the King turned a blind eye, leaving innocent people to fall under the wake.

Though, things were even worse for you if anyone disapproved the King or broke any of his laws.

Now, all that was truly left were broken dreams and families, lives that were shattered and continue to fall apart due to the warfare moving closer in from the border countries every day.

With that in mind, Noelle desperately wished she could somehow fly the guild to a distant location. Although nice was the thought, it wasn't possible, so she had to do something and quick. Distraction seemed like the best plan, she silently mused, if she could somehow get their mind elsewhere… Firstly, she needed to get Ace out of the way.

"My mind must be slipping. I didn't realize the time. Please, please come right in! Get outta that storm! My goodness, you'll be sick, boys. Get in here. My inn is as welcoming as any! Make yourselves at home," Noelle babbled endlessly and didn't waste time ushering a gaping Ace out of the doorway. Not without turning with a shielded tilt of her head, sent a wink to the pink haired girl, causing Cherry to slowly nod back, her large eyes deadlocked on her own as she backed up towards the back corridor that led to the kitchens, bar and dining area.

Using the men's confusion at such strange and sudden actions, as it was clear they didn't know how to react, as gently as possible, Noelle shoved Ace in the arm, shushing him like one would a pet cat and the boy's eyes widened as big as saucers, "Now now, don't doddle around, young one. There is too much work to be done for you to be relaxing already! I know you went out to speak with those dear contractors for me, but that doesn't mean you can have a break yet," She dramatically reprimanded, and too stunned to react other than letting the woman push him back into the building, Ace let out a quiet 'oomph' as his back hit the far wall behind her desk.

Noelle then crossed back over to the men and reached out and, using both hands, wrapped her long fingers around their wrists and with the might of a someone three times her size, tugged both of the men over the threshold and onto the rug. She slammed the door nearly off of its hinges behind the two, the loud thud causing both men and Cherry to jump, the orange haired man surprisingly letting out a startled yelp in return and Noelle had to keep herself from releasing the chuckle that rose up her throat.

So not so tough after all, huh?

The noise did not affect the woman though, not as she dusted her hands together out in front of her and made a whirlwind of flicking on the lights and lamps next to the desk, much to the utter astonishment of the men now awkwardly lingering by the door. She didn't have time to waste if she wanted to get rid of them. She needed to somehow find Miranda without alarming the rest of the guild or without bringing attention to herself. If she could keep things under wraps, then less damage could be caused. Miranda was the key, she was the only one whose magic complemented her own and would be able to reinforce their defenses. But how could she make it to the other when she was stuck here?

She could feel a burning intensity on the side of her face from their suspicious gazes tracking her every moment, but the woman didn't let her irritation show and instead, faked innocent, going about straightening the papers on her desk, as if this was a regular customer coming to check-in or make arrangements to stay. The green haired woman nearly had her plan all set went the clomping of heavy boots against the polish wood flooring caused her to turn on her heels to face the angry men before her.

The scarred face man moved with long strides, his heavy black military issued boots smacking against the floor in loud thuds. In the now lit room, she could see the deep red and black of his coat in all of its glory, the emblem sticking out like a sore thumb on his chest, a reminder of just who they were dealing with, all of Seven, and they didn't want that many on their bad side. His shoulders were broad and his body just as stout as hers, if not more so, though instead of fat, his was all thick muscle. His face was as hard as steel, a stony expression that could cut glass and caused her to swallow her nerves down her throat as he approached.

He slammed his fists against down hard against the desktop as he reached it, frantically beating on the wooden surface, just mere feet from where she stood in the center of the room. "Do we look like guests to you, old woman? Are you deranged or something? We aren't playing around here. We have business with your...'employee,'" the man spit out the last word as if it was a farce, glancing up with his sharp glare in Ace's direction, the sound of thunder rolling in the background only amplifying the intensity of the situation.

Noelle's breath hitched as the man suddenly appeared in front of her, holding a few good inches over her own height. He was a tough one, she had to admit, but there wasn't any way that she was going to back down. At the close proximity, she could hear the movements of Ace behind her, slowly approaching and quickly, she shot out a hand, holding it up as a sign to wait and finally, let her heart slow back down when she heard his footfalls still. Placing her hands on her hips, her robe moved with her efforts, her green ponytail swaying against her neck. Her eyes narrowed in determination, red-rimmed glasses just slipping down the bridge of her nose to expose the critical brown glare.

"Look here son, if you have a problem with my employee, then you should take it up with me as the owner. Now, what is the issue here?"

"What's the issue -" The orange haired man cackled from behind his partner, a harsh sound to her ears, "Don't play dumb with us, we have reason to believe that this is an illegal guildhall. Isn't that right, boy?" He hissed through clenched teeth, his hazel eyes wild and crazy and the intense sensation to protect, to shield, to do something were so blinding, Noelle almost lost herself, her body moving on its own accord, without her permission. And suddenly, before she knew what she was doing, Noelle realized she had the coal black collar of the man's jacket in her fists, and she was staring, eye to eye through her red-rimmed glasses at the cold-faced man.

 _Oh, dear me,_ she fretted, if only the two lads hadn't messed with her guild. Why did she always find herself getting caught up in the worst situations at her age? _These children would be the death of her one day._

* * *

 _End preview._

 _Please R &R if you're interested! I'd love to know your thoughts. Thank you guys for being patient with me and this prologue preview, I really wanted it to be the best that it could for you guys to thank you for all of the support so I hope it turned out well! I'm nervous to hear your thoughts. Once these projects are done then I will post the rest of the prologue. I hope the length was okay, but let me know if shorter or longer chapters are what you guys prefer. Thank you!_

 _\- Clairvoyage_

 **Ace Eiddwen belongs to _ primalfreak._**


	4. Character profiles

Hey again! I have decided that instead of deleting this update, I'm going to use it as a place to put extra information for OCs and whatnot. I'm going to add a brief appearance description to each character because I know it can be difficult to remember who is who in a large cast, so this way you guys don't get as confused.

I have also decided on an update schedule of once every week and a half to two weeks. With my job and school, I won't be able to update every week, but I might be able to do that occasionally, so let's try for every week and a half, two weeks at the latest.

I want to thank everyone again for submitting and being interested, it really means so much, thank you. I'm excited to post the next chapter for you guys! I hope you are all ready to get this show started. :D Please PM me if you have any ideas or have something in mind that you'd like to see in the story.

\- clairvoyage

 _ **Nova Bloom:**_

 _ **Males -**_

 **Yun Akari** **\- 24 yrs - _S_ _Class_ \- Evil Lord's Magic -** ( _Submitted_ _by_ : **_Shiro_ **_**Kurai**_ ) - Yun in 6'3, with rough looking tan metallic luster, with a lean body shape and well-defined muscles. The back and sides of his head have been shaved off while he has long silver hair that hangs over the left side of his face. His hair is thick and well-kept long enough to fall to his has a pair of dark brown eyes that are narrow and rectangular in shape. His eyebrows give off the look of two pointed swords. His left arm is completely covered in has both his ears pierced with pitch black gems. His guild mark is on his right Palm and black.

 **Han Aragami Sattori** **\- 46 yrs - _S Class_ \- Ninpo Magic -** ( _Submitted_ _by_ : **_DeathTheManiac_** ) - Han is of rather average height of 5'9ft with hair of charcoal black cut in a short crew cut style. His narrow eyes, golden and sharp like hawk's. Has a rather slim body with strong toned muscles gained from rigorous training. His grey colored Guild Mark on his right pectoral contrasts well with his pale skin. On his neck is a small black tattoo of a three-eyed raven.

 **Zavid Strydr - 26 yrs - _S Class_ \- Wind Lord Magic -** (Submitted by: **_alucard deathsinger_** ) - Zavid has dark black hair that is medium length reaching down over his eyes when wet. He ties the hair back into a pointed pony tail. He has sharp deep red eyes which are quite large. He has a very toned body with muscle and athletic build. He has various scars littered across his body. He has ash white skin and stands up at 6,1 and weighs 140 lbs. He has a diamond shaped face with a rounded nose and slight stubble around his chin. He's got a cross scar right across his right eye in a + shape. The vertical line goes over his eye whilst the horizontal one sits just under it. His crimson red guild mark can be clearly seen on the right side of his neck where his neck and shoulder meets.

 **Ace Eiddwen** **\- 20 yrs - _A Class_ \- Contract Magic -** _(Submitted by: **primalfreak** ) - _Ace is 5'11, 160lbs with an athletic but slim build, because of his magic he has black runes that cover his right arm and hand. He has thick raven black hair that is kept in a messy style with some strands framing his face, with deep blue eyes that turn a blood red upon activating his magic. He has an olive skin tone with a black guild mark on the underside of his left forearm.

 **Rahk** **Lufulu** - **17 yrs - _A Class_ \- Lightning Magic -** ( _Submitted by:_ **_Derekjay2000_** ) - Rahk is a young man of fair skin that is lightly tanned, and short stature, standing at 5'5", with round blue eyes and medium-length messy blond hair. His hair is long enough to cover both his ears and forehead. He has a very slim body type, is somewhat skinny. Despite his relatively small body, constant training has give him some decent muscle definition.

 **Ibaraki Doji - 21 yrs - _A Class_ \- Hells Gate Magic** \- (Submitted by: **_Malfel_** ) - Ibaraki is lean and muscular man with pale skin, he stands at 6'0, with ash-gray eyes, and messy neck length maroon hair with few bangs hanging over his face, he has a small cut scar under his right eye, he has his guild mark as crimson on his right forearm, pointed ears, his nails are sharp like claws, his teeth are sharp like fangs, and he has two small gold horns protruding from the front of his head.

 **Sylvain Faelund** **\- 22 yrs - _B_ _Class_ \- Faerie Soul Take Over** \- ( _Submitted_ _by_ : **_pine_** _**swiftwings**_ ) - Sylvain is short, about 5'2, with a petite delicate figure. His features are androgynous and youthful, and he is often mistaken for a child or a girl. His skin is pale and mottled with freckles. His eyes are monolidded and are pale green in color. He has a small upturned nose and lips with a pronounced cupid's bow. His eyebrows are elegantly arched and expressive and his ears are long and pointed like an elf's. His hair is naturally white-blonde, but he likes to change its color often either with magic or dye. It falls in waves just below his shoulders and he typically pulls it into a low ponytail with long fringe hanging in his eyes. His guild mark is pale green on the left side of his neck. He has 3 piercings in each ear and a tongue piercing.

 **Ernest Skelter** **\- 23 yrs - _B Class_ \- Bone Magic -** ( _Submitted by:_ **_Exotence_** ) - Ernest stands at 5'5 with a slim build and beige skin. Several moles are scattered across his body, though the most visible one can be found on his chin. His narrow face is framed by curtain bangs, while the rest of his light green hair is twisted into a loose ponytail that stops mid-back. His eyes are brown, narrow, and droopy with pronounced lower lashes, giving him a bored expression when he doesn't smile. The guild mark is located at the back of his neck, obscured by the long hair. Ernest's nails are replaced by bones and bone protrudes from his spine (not much, just barely protruding from his skin, making it appear like small knobs). A jagged scar runs up his right forearm.

 **Katsunori Ashpeak** **\- 19 yrs - _B Class_ \- Firecracker Magic** \- _(Submitted by:_ **_PeachSkies_** ) - Katsunori stands at about 5'8, stays on the slimmer side, though he does have noticeable muscular arms and legs, as well as a broad chest and lightly tanned skin. He has small and sharp feline-like features, such a sharp slim nose, and a sharp thin mouth. He has blue messy hair with long fringe that fashionably frames either side of his to frame his angular face that he sometimes pushes part of it back in a stylish way. He has amber angular and sharp eyes.

 **Nicolai Dellucci** **\- 18 yrs - _C Class_ \- Celestial Spirit Magic -** (Submitted by: **_Fallenstreet01_** ) - Nico is a young man with surprisingly delicate appearance, so much that if he didn't wear boyish clothes, he would be easily mistaken as a woman. He has fair skin, bright olive eyes and messy light brown hair with a little braid tied with feathers on the right side of his face. He is on the shorter size at 5'5'' and his body is very slender. His guild mark is located on the outer side of his right calf.

 **Acro Picasso-Atlas - 15 yrs - _D Class_ \- Clay Make Magic -** ( _Submitted by:_ **_MaMcMu_** ) - Acro has tanned skin with bright green eyes and a lightly toned body. Acro's face and feet are extremely dirty and he never wears shoes. His blonde hair is spiky with two "horns" sticking out. His Guild mark is gold and located on his forehead. Acro's arms are rather skinny looking while his legs are thicker. He is always seen wearing a rainbow-colored paintbrush around his neck.

 _ **Females -**_

 **Ayame Yuki** **\- 29 yrs - _S Class_ \- Invisibility Magic -** _(Submitted by: **Reduced20** ) - _Ayame is a tall dark skin woman, at about 6'1. She has long white hair stopping at her waist she usually keeps it tied in the form of a ponytail she also has two side bangs that stop just above her navel, she has a slim and athletic body that is covered in small nicks and scars, her eyes are violet in color and are monolid in shape.

 **Noire Jeanne-Pierre** **\- 25 yrs - _S Class_ \- Hex Magic -** (Submitted by: **_MusixDrag_** ) - Noire has tanned light brown, caramel skin, bright white colored eyes that are sharp and cunning with sharp, regal facial features. She stands at 5'11", with a fully mature, curvy figure. Her hair is a jet black color with natural white highlights mixing in that reaches the middle of her back at its full length, bangs hovering over her eyes, usually almost fully covering them. Her guild mark is jet black with a white gradient that is placed on her right thigh.

 **Wynnfriede Forst - 23 yrs - _S Class_ \- Smith Magic -** (Submitted by: _**Yngvarr Frey**_ ) - Wynn has light brown skin with amber, downturned eyes. She has waist-length, black hair preferably left in a high ponytail, and she habitually leaves a fringe draping over her left eye. She has a slender build, with a triangle shape, meaning her hip measurement being larger, and her height reaches up to 175 cm. She has a roman nose, a slightly broad forehead, strong cheekbones and a small chin. She also has many tattoos and markings.

 **Crystal Sakura - 19 yrs - _A_ _Class_ \- Molecular and Crystal Magic -** ( _Submitted by:_ **_SoulManipulator_** ) - Crystal has long and straight, bright blue hair with different color heterochromatic eyes, the left eye being a bright silver while the right eye is a very dark grey. She's around 1.80m tall (5'8), with lightly tanned skin and a very skinny, slim frame. She doesn't have much of a figure, with minimal curves.

 **Liadonna Tabris - 24 yrs - _A Class_ \- Blood Magic -** ( _Submitted by:_ **_Ziggymia123)_** \- Lia is 5'11 and weighs 155 pounds. Her frame is very slender and lithe without a lot of noticeable muscle mass. Lia has dark red hair that falls in waves to below her decently sized bust. The sides of her hair are pulled back and secured with a black, jeweled pin in order to keep it out of her eyes. Her eyes are a slate grey color. Her guild mark is black and positioned directly over her heart. Her left arm, and hand are covered in small scars that were made by a knife.

 **Delilah Kopitar** **\- 25 yrs - _A Class_ \- Dream Magic -** ( _Submitted by:_ **_SanityRequiem_** ) - Delilah is a pale girl that has a slender body. She is 136lbs and 5'7. The color of her downturned eyes are red with black eyeliner. With her long hair, that reaches to her knees, Delilah wears her light blue hair in a high ponytail that also has white tips. Both of her ears are pierced. Her guild mark is on her back, and it is red in color. There is a giant star-shaped scar that is placed on her right thigh.

 **Solianna Valterra** **\- 16 yrs - _B Class_ \- Earth Dragon Slayer Magic -** ( _Submitted by:_ **_KorianneAnders_** ) - She has long curly hair that reaches her thighs and goes from dark green at the roots and it gets lighter till it reaches her tips in a light teal color. Her eyes are doe shaped and a gold almost yellow color framed with thick eyelashes and when she is looked right in her eyes you can see the milky white in her pupils. Her face is heart-shaped with a button nose, cupids bow shaped mouth and high cheekbones. Her body is small and lanky, being 5'0 and her weight is 120 with her chest being a c cup. Her guild mark is on her neck, just below her ear in green.

 **Florence Baker** **\- 24 yrs - _B Class_ \- Takeover Magic: Beast Soul and Requip -** (Submitted by: **_Quake Shatterfist_** ) - Florence stands 5'6" with a lean yet athletic build, B cup size bust, olive skin tone with a slight sun-kissed complexion. She has long wavy and slightly wild maroon auburn hair that reaches down to her hips. Her hair is normally parted to frame her face and contains several braids mixed in with purple eyes. Her guild mark is located on her waist, on the left side and above her hip.

 **Amaralia Livgen** **\- 23 yrs - _B Class_ \- Code Magic -** (Submitted by: **_Sesumi_** ) - Her hair is red, in a ponytail with a straight fringe and it reaches to her knees, her eyes are purple, her height is one-meter seventy-four, her build is stylized, thin and has small breasts. She has white skin, two moles under the right eye and one in the jawline and wears glasses, her guild Mark is on the right side of her neck and her color is lilac.

 **Cherry Faredust** **\- 17 yrs - _C Class_ \- Nature Magic -** _(Submitted by: author) -_ Cherry is fair skinned, standing at about 5'4, with soft curves and rounded features. She isn't very muscular and relatively skinny. Cherry is lean and petite in size, though she has medium sized assets. Her face is rounded with slightly chubby cheeks and big, warm, rounded green eyes, long eyelashes, a small nose, and slightly plump lips. She has wavy, lower back length, light pink hair with wavy bangs across her forehead. Her guild mark is light purple and located on the underside of her right forearm.

 **Miranda Kramer** **\- 20 yrs - _C_ _Class_ \- Mirror and Glass Magic** \- _(Submitted by:_ **_gray cloud 12_** ) - Miranda is a girl of normal height (1.60 mt), with a just nearly slim frame, although she has a bit of meat on her bones, she isn't fat, just not model thin. With light skin somewhat pink, round-faced, large, playful brown eyes, long eyelashes, and long straight magenta hair. She has a piercing on the top of her right ear, have a few scars in her arms and legs, and her guild mark is located on her right shoulder, purple.


	5. Prologue Part 2: Deepened Beginnings

_Thank you all so much for the follows and lovely reviews for my story. They are literally what inspires me to write this. I really am so grateful to you all being patient with this update. I'm extremely sick right now with the flu and have had a lot of personal things in real life going on, so it's been a little tough lately with trying to finish the edits for this chapter. I'm not very proud of the results, but I wanted to get something out to you all for waiting on me and being so kind and understanding. Seriously, all of the PMs I received made me tear up. I can't even begin to explain all of the sweet things you guys said that really made me feel so much better about having to postpone the update date. I'm so happy to have you guys on board, and I hope I don't disappoint you throughout this fic. I want to do my best to make it a good and interesting story, so I hope I succeed for you guys._

 _I wrote this as a rough draft and had my amazingly wonderful beta read just that portion and then rushed to finish all of the edits afterward and ended up adding a ton before he could check it all over. But he has some stuff going on right now, so I didn't want to bother him with having to clean this chapter up right now. I just wanted to finally get this out to you all, so I promise I'll come back and clean up and edit everything later when I'm finally over this stupid flu. So PLEASE excuse me if this chapter is absolute trash and shit and you wish you never read it compared to the first update... I'm honestly super anxious about this, and I've had so much pressure to make this good, so I feel like I bombed out on this._ _God, I just hope you guys don't hate me after this chapter or think it's such poor quality. Like you guys have no idea how nervous about this update I am. I seriously HATE this chapter with every fiber in my being... I did such a shit job, like I'm ashamed you guys. :(_ _This is honestly one of the roughest/worst chapters I have ever written so again, I'm so sorry if you're disappointed and I promise I'll clean this up later and the next chapter will be actually decent. I hope you enjoy anyways, especially the new character I introduce who happens to destroy my heart because I stan them so much xD (ANOTHER LONG AS HECK UPDATE TO MAKE UP FOR MY LATENESS, GEEZ.. Also I'll be answering all of my PMs as soon as I'm feeling better. I'm sorry for making you guys wait on me again. :( )._

 _ **-**_ clairvoyage

 _ **SYOC Closed for Nova Bloom Guild. All other guilds open.**_

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Fairy Tail or the Kingdom of Seven, but I do own the Nova Bloom Guild, Noelle Aguellon, Cherry Faredust, and a few other minor OCs.

 **Wordcount** : 10,678

 **~0~0~0~**

 **Prologue Part Two:**

 **Deepened Beginnings**

 **Year X923**

 **Location: Nova Inn**

 **6:15 a.m.**

 **Twilight Grove, the Kingdom of Seven**

They say that storms brought either two things, a devastating hurricane with dire consequences, the breakthrough that warps and thrashes, drowning all around it. Or, in the rare case, they brought a cleansing douse, washing away the struggles and drought, the bad times disappearing down the drain into a mud puddle and a fresh start bloomed like a blossoming bud from the soggy soil. To her, the storm seemed to flood into her inn in the form of two guards from Seven's lower ranks stationed at Twilight Grove. Well, she mused, the storm brought the former this time. Let's just hope that the consequences aren't so dire, she could only pray for such, but she knew that was utterly foolish for this situation was beyond serious.

For lowly ranking foot soldiers, guards that patrolled the area for 'suspicious activity and rulebreakers' they seemed to be pretty powerful, which didn't leave much hope for the rest of the guards. If the low ranks are as intimidating as this, then one could only have nightmares about the higher ranks.

The tension of the moment welded up so tightly in her chest that Noelle felt the need to hold her breath to keep herself from slipping but couldn't help the shaky sigh. You could cut through the tangible air with a knife, like a thick weight looming over their heads, threatening to collapse at any second and she felt it squeezing the organ pounding in her heart as loudly as a drum beating persistently to a frantic beat. The intensity of the moment making her airways close in on themselves as if someone had reached out and held her by the throat, constricting hard until there was nothing left but her gasping for breath. And it honestly felt as if the two were doing just that. _Maybe it was some kind of restrainment magic?_ She wanted to assume, but she knew that was a silly thought, the men weren't doing anything to her. It was fear and anxiety that gripped her by the throat.

 _What had she done? How had she let all of this happen?_ It honestly felt as if she was looking down on herself through another person's body. This just couldn't be real life, she pleaded in disbelief, this just couldn't.

Her knuckles gripped the thick pleated fabric of Maigre's jacket as if her life depended on it, holding him so close that she could smell the scent of rain and heavy musk wafting off of him, clogging her nostrils unpleasantly. From the corner of her eyes, she was aware of Stillash's presence, the ginger guard a few cautious steps behind his partner. Any second now, any second the lanky ginger will lift that sword and will be rid of her. She just wanted it to stop. She wanted all of it to cease to exist - this entire moment to vanish in thin air and her boy to be safe and sound, on his merry way back to the guildhall without trespassers. She wanted to wake up to the stormy calmness that waged on, playing as her backdrop as she folded laundry and had her children help her get ready for the day. But this isn't what she was getting. No, no thanks to her emotions getting the best of her, now they were in hot water, the both of them. And if Ace were to be taken… The guild hall exposed - she wouldn't be able to do a single damn thing to stop it. If Ace were to be taken, he would be the first of many and that - that was her ultimate fear.

Noelle knew what happened to those who went against the Supreme Leader. She heard terrible stories that haunted her very nightmares about being taken to the capital had seen things first hand that she would never wish upon her greatest enemy. That was one of the main subjects of her recurring nightmares, the things that floated around her head at night, even during the day. The capital - that man, no, she bitterly paused. No, he wasn't a man. He was a beast. A beast in every sense of the word. And now, after all of these years, all of her careful planning - thanks to her, they might find out the truth behind those tales.

A sickening feeling welled up in her stomach, tying notes like her insides were a rope, and they might as well have been for all the good they were doing for her right now. The world was spinning, tipping on its side in a blur of colors and beautiful, happy faces, that she had once loved, those who she still loved, like a kaleidoscope of film tugging at her heartstrings and bile stung the back of her throat. Oh god, she breathed, chills coursing through her causing the hairs on her arms and the back of her neck to rise. _Was this it? Was this the end of the line? The ruining of her long, devastating journey?_

"What the -? You really are crazy, you old hag! What do you think you're doing with Maigre?" The orange haired man startled from behind his comrade, shoving Noelle to the forefront of her mind, bitterly snapping her back to the horrid reality she wished she could swallow down like a pill. Noelle blinked in surprise as the scarred faced brunette suddenly yanked himself backward in Noelle's grip. A flash of something dark and taunting flickering in those cold orbs, though other than his brief movement, the man didn't dare break the hold, almost as if he was waiting on her to make the first move and with a feeling of dread she realized he was trying to size her up, playing some sick game with her. That nasty grin was a half-moon curl of his lips, just barely peeking out from the black scruff that surrounded his thin lips and wide-set nose.

' _Oh that brute_ ,' she glared, gritting her teeth so hard she was slightly worried they would chip off, anything to keep her from speaking her mind and having someone knock out an elderly woman.

Honestly, she was having the same trouble trying to understand just what the hell she was doing. _And for what? Why did she grab him?_ The little voice, her conscious screamed to her, mentally slapping some sense back into her head. _Just what in the world was she doing? Had she lost her mind?_ She was wondering that herself. And for a brief moment, she almost believed that yes, she had in fact gone mad. She didn't have a single thought going through her mind except for to terminate the situation. But how? To punch him maybe, to slap him? To do something? But all of those options were wrong. They would only make things worse and get the guild in trouble, her child in trouble…

It was all wrong, and for the life of her, she couldn't figure a single way out. After all of these years and her careful, creative, on the spot plans had led them to safety, had kept them just barricaded behind a thin wall of her protection and now what? She was drowning, drowning in the rain outside, but instead, the rain clouds had consumed her brain, and she was struggling to stay afloat, to not give in.

Where was her umbrella when she needed it?

"You've made a merciless enemy today, old lady," The tall, ginger-haired man exclaimed, just as she heard the familiar sliding of metal against leather sheath of a sword, breaking her train of thought and yanking her to the forefront of her mind, like a hand pulling her through the murky depths of the sea. God, how many times had she zoned out already? Noelle fretted, mentally scolding herself for the millionth time just this morning. 'Dear me,' The elderly woman thought, 'there isn't time to process actions, I must act! Sometimes we must put our faith in front of us, rather than keeping it inside.'

For a nanosecond, she stilled herself, preparing for what was to come, praying silently for strength to get this over with and a calmness settled over her like a blanket. Her mind was ready, she mused, she was ready for this. Well, she thought her mind was ready, but it seemed that someone else's mind had another plan.

She realized too late that the black-haired young man wasn't going to sit back and play a doll any longer. Noelle opened her mouth just after the sound echoed around the room. 'What was that?' she paused in utter confusion as a loud smacking sound chimed from behind mixing with something else, a distinctively metal clang - a sword - causing her to jump slightly and sober up. Noelle wrenched her head around to face the source, and a gasp fell from her otherwise taunt lips. The plump, green-haired woman blinked through her glasses at the sight of the young man, Ace, with his fist rapping against the rough, worn wood of her desktop.

It took everything to stop her eyes from bulging out of her skull in shock, and the men in front of her seemed to have the same sentiments, both snapping their gazes to and angered Ace.

"What do you think you're doing, attacking an elderly woman? Put that sword away. Your fight is with me. Everyone needs to calm down and talk things through civilly," Ace suddenly snapped, the sharpness of his tone taking her by surprise, and for once, with a tilt of her head, she realized the sword wasn't in his grip, but the others. The raven-haired boy's fist ridged against the wooden countertop and his face tight in loosely concealed restraint. He bared his teeth, white and sharp against the smooth olive tone of his skin, his lips pulled back in a snarl. With her eyes cast downward, she couldn't help but notice the red staining the skin of his knuckles from how hard he pounded on the desk. Ace wasn't one to act impulsively. He was composed, always careful and put together. She could count on the quiet boy to keep things in line and handle any task thrown at him. A severe boy who didn't act out of turn and thought things through. He had been pushed to his limits, drove out of that calm facade to take action and protect the Guildhall with any means necessary. That burden was taking a toll on the otherwise quiet boy, and with the idea of Noelle, his master in danger, as well as his friends, of course, he was acting out of turn against his will.

But to her surprise, Ace seemed to be slowly going back to normal, his usual composure taking hold of him, with the sheer restraint and willpower of steel. His shoulders were slightly rigid, the only sign that he was still on high alert, but he was calming down substantially, to his usual self. She'd never seen Ace so worked up in the entire seven years that she'd known him, not like this at least, not full on taking battle stances like earlier when she and Cherry were in harm's way. This was so unlike him... He was so unlike himself, and she couldn't pinpoint why or what had gotten into him. Even in the worst of situations, death, and toxic war, he was always collected, a pillar of stability that the guildhall needed. Though, for whatever reason, that just wasn't him in the last few moments. However, to her relief, he was coming back to himself. Noelle held in the sigh of relief that threatened to spill from her lips, bubbling up inside of her but pushed it down and settled for instead, focusing on the concern for the boy that chipped away at the back of her mind.

What kind of example was she setting to have him go against his better judgment to defend her irrational actions? She had to fix this, had to deflate the situation. It was her fault he was acting unlike himself. What kind of master was she?

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a flash of pink, 'Cherry!' she breathed, relief flooding in an instant, she had almost forgotten the girl was even there, standing so quietly to the side of the scene. Thank god that little angel was still there! Noelle had never felt so much relief in her entire life, but goodness was that child's pink bedhead a sight for sore eyes. Suddenly, an idea struck her like lightning, so sharp and tantalizing that she almost laughed from how daft she had been. If she hadn't remembered the girl's presence then maybe the others hadn't either! That's perfect! Noelle glanced up to the taller boy who was engaged in a silent staredown to their opposers, but both men's hawklike gazes trained on him and completely bypassed over the stout woman.

This was the opportune moment out of all. This was it, she thought, mentally bracing herself. With a small, barely noticeable smirk, Noelle tilted her head just slightly, meeting eyes with the teenager and with a slight flicker of her pupils, she watched the younger's face contort in understanding, and with a short nod, Noelle quickly turning away as if nothing happened.

'You know what to do my child, I'm counting on you,' the greenette prayed to herself in silent mantra. She could do it, she was certain.

"My my, goodness me, I guess after all of these years, little old me has finally gone crazy, huh?" Noelle let out a hearty laugh, her wide shoulders shaking with humor and a small innocent smile pulled across her lips. Pure shock manifested over Maigre's face as the woman pulled back, "What are you going on about, you old bat?" She let the man's large hands roughly shove her away from him, a look of disgust plastered onto his face as her slipper-clad feet stumbled over each other clumsily, barely managing to righten herself before she toppled over.

Glancing behind Maigre's tall and broad form, she almost felt her body sag with relief when the orange haired man slowly lowered his weapon to his side in uncertainty, eyes narrowed at her, waiting on the other to make some kind of call. Oh thank goodness, her plan seemed to be working!

"Enough of this ridiculous shit! We're here because this boy is working for an illegal guild, and we have suspicion that this is the place! We've heard a lotta talk about a guild in this area and every sign points to this shitty establishment. Give us one good reason why we shouldn't tear apart this place down to the studs? And with your aggressive actions, you seem to confirm our suspicions, so I'm guessing you're the guild's master! I think we should take care of this, Stillash," Maigre barked, his voice rough and accusing, just as the look in his cold eyes darkened. The tall and thin, orange-haired man, Stillash, let out another cackle and took a step forward to stand next to his partner, the rough sound grating against her ears in the wrong way. This wasn't the first time someone came looking for trouble here, threatening to expose her inn for what it was, but she wouldn't let someone pressure her into caving. She might seem like a pushover, although she was anything but.

Maigre rose his hands out in front of him exposing large scarred fists, crossing the beefy fingers together and bending, cracking the knuckles in the silence as if trying to scare her into confessing and Noelle almost laughed at the cheap antics. All guards were the same. He'd have to be more creative than that to get them to spill the beans, she thought with a roll of her eyes.

"They've already wasted our entire night and morning. I'm ready to call this one in to the boss. Why waste time questioning when we could just get this over within minutes?" Stillash carried on, his slim face contorting into a deep agitated frown. Noelle watched as the ginger-haired man shoved his sword back into the sheath and almost subconsciously, his hazel eyes started scanning the small room. His roaming gaze didn't sit right with her, an uneasy feeling in the form of a lump rose up in the back of her throat as a pit settled into her stomach. Something was disheartening about that faux innocent look on his face. Stillash's partner seemed to have the same sentiments, watching with a raised brow while the other slowly took a step forward with his heavy boots smacking against the rug.

Noelle's eyebrow ticked as her stare trailed after the annoying mud-stains now covering the rug in the entrance with every step the brute moved, and it took all of her willpower not to smack the man for his rudeness. A bought of irritation shot through her, she worked hard to keep this place clean, especially with a bunch of her children running around and now she'd have to work tenfold even to be able to open the inn up on time.

"We can't bother the boss with such stupid shit, especially since we haven't confirmed anything yet. We have to conduct an investigation while we're here," Maigre stated, eyes following after the orange haired man, who now was slowly pacing the room. Stillash's gaze roaming over the painting and pictures on the walls, the candle holders that held the small flames flittering in the morning light, the line of decorative plates stacked over one another and hung together by a simple white thread placed over the small mantle in the center of the room. An assortment of little statues and carvings, as well as painted glass lined the cherry-wood of the mantle, with a small doily placed on the very middle. Next to the fireplace were two small cushioned chairs, both plush and comfy, looking warm and inviting from their position. Noelle narrowed her eyes as Stillash slowly approached the large green and brass floor lamp to the left of the mantle and right of her small desk, tracing back from the stack of papers towering over the desktop.

"My, my. What an interesting inn you have here. Very cozy, don't you think so, Maigre?" The deep, hollow voice of Stillash was practically a haughty sneer, as a thick laugh fell from his lips and echoed around the small room. The sound made Noelle force down a disgusted shutter. She would not give the man the satisfaction of seeing her cringe. He lifted a gloved hand over the top of the mantle, running his finger along the rich redwood then quickly held the same digit out in front of him for inspection. Squinting his eyes, he noticed the lack of dust and shook his head, dropping his hand to his trousers and brushing them off with a scowl on his tanned, freckled face, pointed nose wrinkling in distaste.

Noelle's heart nearly leaped out of her chest when Ace instead beat her to the punch. Ace had quickly walked from the other side of the room to stand next to her, towering over her shorter frame. The dark haired boy crossed his arms over the lean muscles of his chest, his black coat fanning around him as his deep blue eyes a dark canvas that settled on the pair in front of them. "Please, let's settle this. The inn opens in an hour. We don't have time to mess around. So let's get to the point." Ace spoke collectively with a blank-faced expression, very flat and calm, barely giving anything away as to how he really felt. Although, it was quite evident that the boy was ready to get as far from the situation as possible and she couldn't blame him.

The glint that that sharpened both men's eyes made Noelle gulp, apprehension rising like a balloon in her chest, threatening to pop and release all of these pent up feelings. She watched the two share a look before a nasty grin spread over Stillash's face. The man lifted both of his hands behind his back, clasping them together as he slowly walked with creaking steps across the floor. His sword pinned to his waist swung against his thigh in the leather satchel with every movement until it came to rest when he stopped in front of Ace.

"Well, well. I like the sound of that. Sure, let's enthuse the boy then," His deep voice echoed around the space, but despite the man's words the green haired woman couldn't help but narrow her eyes in suspicion, lifting a hand to adjust her glasses on the bridge of her nose. From her side, Ace pursed his lips into a thin line, keeping any protest to himself and instead, the two watched as the pair of men shared yet another dark look.

"Alright, good idea. How about this, boy?" The dark-haired man approached, "I'll interrogate you while my partner here takes care of the place." Maigre ended with a harsh chuckle that Stillash delighted in and both she and Ace barely had time to think, 'take care of the place?' before the other sprung into action. Without warning, the stocky man reached out and yanked ahold of the arm of Ace's black coat and the taller, fixed the other with a look of discontent as he literally dragged the young man across the room. Ace didn't struggle in the grip though. His face was a hard mask of detest. He seemed to be in too much shock to react other than letting the large man yank him around like a doll, or at least, from what she believed, knew better than to make the first move. Ace wouldn't be caught dead doing something deliberately stupid, she knew that very well, but that didn't stop her from speaking up for the boy.

Noelle bunched up her robe in her tight fists and took a step forward, letting out a protest of, "If you so much as hurt that boy!" but with one look from the man, she shut her lips with a hiss of anger, fighting back the urge to smash the man's face in.

"No ma'am, probably not a good idea. It would be wise to keep your mouth shut. We're just going to talk to the kid then we'll go about our merry way."

Irritation flashed through her core, her eyes glinting dangerously with the threat and feelings of protect, look after, shield, swarming her head like a mantra. She was like a ticking time bomb, waiting to explode at any moment and she thought she honestly would at what happened next.

Maigre roughly shoved Ace, who in turn, felt his knees smack against the back of a hard surface, bending under him and gracelessly stumbled down into a side chair with a quiet umph falling from his lips as his butt and back came in contact with the old brown cushioned armchair. Within seconds, the dark-haired boy recovered, instantly fixing a glare up at the broad man who crossed his massive arms over his chest, purposely flexing the bulging muscles barely contained under his deep maroon jacket like a silent threat. Noelle felt helpless, unable to do anything without making the situation a million times worse. All of the ideas that came to her were useless, and the pit of dread in her stomach seemed to intensify.

Ace parted his lips, ready to ask what the meaning of this was but the sharp sneer of a warning on the other's face made him snap his mouth shut and swallow down the thoughts on his mind. It wouldn't be best for him to anger the other in this situation, he knew this, they both did. So they had to be cautious, Ace had to play this well if they wanted to get out of this unscathed.

However, that wasn't such an easy task as assumed. ' _Easier said than done_ ,' Ace scoffed with another stare up to the prominent scar on the guard's face. Without warning, Maigre suddenly leaned in, bending at the waist to come face to face with the other until he was only centimeters away. Ace felt a rise of disgust as warm breath puffed menacingly over his face from the proximity. The other was so close that he could make out the scruff of the faint shadow of a beard over his chin and under his nose as well as small white lines, old scars, he thought, that littered the man's face. When their eyes met, Ace almost glared as the other glowered.

"Now, boy. Ace, was it? What were you doing out so early this morning? Walkin' through town like you own the place, holding that satchel. What was in the bag?" Maigre spat, breath fanning over his face. Maigre's dark eyes shining without a single shred of empathy. His face was such a hard line that the raven-haired twenty-year-old had a hard time deciding whether it was actually carved from stone, rather than being a real person. He lacked warmth, mercy, any single shimmer of emotion besides callous coldness - merciless apathy in those brown beads for eyes. Ace could feel another set of brown eyes piercing into his side, 'Master,' he mused, but didn't spare the woman a look as he pushed the sensation down and leveled with the man in front of him.

"As I said earlier, I was doing a job for Mrs. Aguellon, the innkeeper. She asked me to make a delivery to an inn at the next town over since she's not able to make the trip herself with her duties. The satchel contained her payment from shipping goods," He replied in an even tone, not letting even the slightest hint of irritation show through despite the feeling consuming him like flames from the insight out. He was burning hot, his veins coursing with the fires of anger but he would not give the other the satisfaction. Instead, his face was a perfect mask of concealment. Slowly, Ace let his eyes slip shut and for a brief second, took in a big breath to settle the storm within him. And just as quickly as it had come, the feelings were slowly seeping out of him and leaving a shadow of mild annoyance behind in its wake.

That would do, for now, he blinked his dark blue eyes open, coming back to himself and slowly placed his hands down into his lap, calmly adjusting his posture to something of more comfort while the other man's nostrils flared.

Maigre abruptly lurched out and smacked his large hands down on either arm of the chair, successfully trapping Ace in his seat. "Don't lie to me you little brat! What the hell were you doing out so early? Who makes trips during the night and gets back at 5 a.m.? That's a load of shit if you expect me to believe that!" Maigre hollered and tightening his grip on the leather arms until his knuckles had gone white.

"I'm not lying, but you can believe what you'd like. It won't change the facts," Ace answered promptly, face never changing from the tight line of collectiveness, but there was a small hint of defiance in his tone, just barely noticeable only if you knew him well enough and Noelle surely caught it and catching the notes of a possible fight, quickly butted in.

"The boy is right. I'm too old to make trips myself now, and he was just doing as he was told -" Noelle started and was cut off with a snarl from Maigre who snapped his head in her direction as if he had been burned.

"Shut up, lady," Maigre hissed but didn't spare much time on her, turning back to the subject of his interrogation.

"For fuck's sake! Handle her." The scarred faced man shouted, and his partner rushed to Noelle's side and roughly took hold of her arm, and without warning, pushed her back onto the stool behind her desk. She let out a loud gasp as she tripped over the leg and fell back onto the stool with a thump. Pain instantly soared from her bottom half, and she bit down the urge to rub it. Those hooligans! How dare they man-handle an old woman! She seethed, anger rising from her core when she stared at the other's amused expression.

What she would give to punch that away….

"Noelle," Ace exclaimed with worry, gaze frantic as his heart lurched in his chest and watched as she shook her head, a kind smile curling over her aging, wrinkled face, short green ponytail flopping with her efforts.

"Now now, child, I'm quite alright," Noelle spoke soothingly but again, was rudely cut off by the tall, ginger-haired man at her side.

"Shut it up! We aren't talking to you right now, so wait your turn, woman," he snapped and suddenly backtracked, his body slightly leaning backward as it seemed like a thought dawned upon the man. A nasty grin slowly plastered itself to his face, and the man chuckled low in his throat, "On second thought, why don't I handle you another way?"

"What are you -?"

Noelle couldn't move, couldn't even suck in oxygen as her lungs screamed in their confines for her to take in air. No, she couldn't find it in her to move while the other cruelly raised his arms and promptly shoved the stacks of papers off of her desk to fall like leaves to the floor in a whirlwind of disarray. Noelle held her breath as the man continued to disregard her poor inn. The small painting that hung on the wall over her head was yanked down in a second and smashed to the polished floor, not even another second going by when another item was carelessly tossed away.

"What a lovely vase. Hand-painted I assume? Looks pretty old," Stillash mused, slowly turning the small piece of China in his hand, fingers trailing over the delicate red flowers painted on the surface before lifting his eyes to meet Noelle's and suddenly releasing it from his hands. Noelle painfully watched as her mother's vase made it's short fall to the ground, immediately flinching while it crashed to the floor with a loud shatter, the pieces flying all over the wood panels.

"Stop this! What are you doing? I thought you were here to interrogate me! Is this what you refer to as an interrogation? Wrecking an elderly woman's home and business," Ace seethed, the olive-skinned boy lurching forward in the chair, hands gripping the sides so hard that the worn leather squeaked with protest and he was surprised he didn't rip the arms clean off. He locked his jaw keeping any other words at bay, though his eyes were a raging storm that could swallow you up with one glance. The other honed in on him immediately, and with the anger rolling off of him in intense pulses, Ace knew it was best for him not to test his luck and instead, steady back into the chair just an inch to show his reluctance to fight.

Maybe if he played the fool then the other would back down, Ace wondered.

"Are you that dense, boy?" The man started through clenched teeth, staring him down with those cold orbs causing the other to freeze in his seat, as if the older could use ice magic with one glance, "As we said earlier, we have reason to believe this is a guildhall. So while we're here, we might as well investigate the place. We wouldn't dare be stupid enough just to talk to you about the matter." Maigre spat in disgust with a filthy sneer wrinkling up his scarred face before taking a small step back from Ace's space, finally getting out of his face so the boy could take in a few breaths of fresh, uncrowded air.

Maigre waved a hand half-heartedly before lifting it to clutch the bridge of his nose between his pointer finger and thumb, and with a long, drawn-out irritated sigh turned to his partner without dropping his hand, "Stillash, handle the rest."

"You got it." The ginger-haired giant exclaimed as a smile spread over his face, and before both Ace and Noelle knew it, the man was moving with giant strides towards the back of the room to the large double doors that led farther into the inn.

He didn't like where this was going. Not at all.

' _No, no not there,_ ' Ace's heart squeezed in his chest in slight anxiety at the sight and he knew his gaze was glued to the back of the tall, bulky man's deep maroon coat but he couldn't bring himself to look away, not wanting the enemy to get out of his sight. Stillash moved with power, like a large predator, black boots heavy and mud-covered thudding against the ground at his wide-span pace. His legs were long and lean in his black trousers and that sword, the weapon glinted almost innocently against the candle-light but Ace could tell it had a menacing power. Stillash's back muscles rippled with every slight movement, and he honestly looked like he could rip this guildhall down with his bare hands if he wanted to. The orange haired man was a force al his own, a bubbly, unkempt energy that threatened to boil over and explode all of the place, reminding Ace of another guild member with a similar disposition. And if this man was anything like him, then Ace didn't like the possibilities that laid out before him.

He had to think and fast, without giving himself away to his opponents. The raven was careful not to spare a look at his master, and instead, tilted his head enough that he was within eyesight of both men, seemingly staring forward at his tormenter while still gazing at the ginger out of his peripheral vision. From this point, he thought to himself, he could have a vantage point of both men. Maigre was silent as his partner pushed through the doors, both swinging halfheartedly in the air after him and Ace swallowed down his breaths, holding the air in his chest until his lungs screamed and instead, listened carefully to the man on the other side of the threshold.

"Find anything?" Maigre suddenly called out in the silence and Ace took a moment to spare a single look at his master and felt himself raise an eyebrow in surprise. The woman calmly perched herself up on the red stood, the furniture matching her equally eccentric glasses, with her hands, clasped together in her lap. She looked the epitome of content, a small ghost of a smile playing at the corners of her lips and her brown eyes innocently trained on the double doors but Ace could see the mischievousness swirling in those almond-shaped orbs.

 _Hmm. What was she planning?_ He wondered, holding in a smile and instantly felt a small wave of relief flutter into his chest, lifting the crushing weight that held up in his lungs just a fraction. He did feel better by her relief, he could admit that, but he couldn't let down his guard quite yet. Who knows what Noelle had done this time, anyway. He might have to clean up both of their messes, the raven-haired boy mused with a hint of a smirk.

"All that's in here is a ratty old dining room and kitchen! This has to be a fucking joke," Stillash's muffled voice called back from the other room, and Ace felt himself almost slump with sheer relief from the anxiety but almost immediately took it back when he noticed the other male's face. Maigre sneered down at him and then glanced over to the green-haired woman.

"What's so hilarious, lady?" Maigre snapped harshly, deep voice thundering into their ears but the small grin never left her face. The man blinked back in shock at the expression before shaking his head as a deep angry red covered his cheeks.

"Why you!" He started to himself then paused, his face shifting quickly to something thoughtful and the look made Ace clench his chair again. This wasn't good, he thought just as Maigre bellowed again, this time a loud boom, "Apparently this is some kind of joke since the old woman is laughing, so you know what to do." a sick laugh followed, sounding more like a cat scrapping its nails down a chalkboard and Ace stilled.

Shit.

"She's not playing any kind of joke, she's just an elderly woman -" Ace rushed out as calmly as he could before being cut off by a hand in his face, shoving him back against the cushioned backing. The raven sputtered, eyes widening a fraction in surprise at the man's actions and balled up his fists until his blunt nails scrapped into his the sensitive skin of his palms.

"I think I might've found something, Maigre! Come 'er!" Stillash shouted, and Ace stilled in his seat. Nausea suddenly welled up in the pit of his stomach, the feeling rising like bile in the back of his throat. He felt sick. He felt so sick and frozen.

"What kind of fools do you take us for? If this is a guildhall, then I'm sure she used some kind of magic to conceal the secrets, or your guildmates are in hiding. We aren't stupid enough to believe that shit." Maigre suddenly yanked him up by his forearm and Ace stumbled to his feet, feeling his body fly like a doll in the bulky man's grasp. When he was finally flat on his feet, the man let his arm go, and Ace smoothed out the wrinkles of his coal black coat sleeve.

"Walk, kid." He ordered, and the younger's gaze starred in the direction the brunette was pointing. Nodding, Ace's feet moved on their own accord, and he apprehensively stepped towards the double doors. His ears perked up when Maigre's heavier footfalls sounded from behind him before the scrapping of wood against wood and Noelle's huff, signified her being forced up as well. "Come on, up, the both of you. Let's go. If you think this is such a joke then why don't you join us on our search?"

A sudden force to the middle of Ace's back caused the tall twenty-year-old to almost fall through the double doors with a murmured shout of surprise. He straightened himself immediately, and as if time slowed down, Ace's heart pounded in fear in his chest before his eyes took in the scene around him.

 _'What in the world? What is this? Where am I?'_

Ace found himself all but gawking in wonder at the room that met his sight, barely registering the sound of the doors shifting open behind him as Maigre and Noelle entered the room. No, the view of the room astonished him, and horrible nausea that turned his insides had immediately drifted away. A small, quaint little dining area and attached kitchen met Ace's wandering eyes, unlike anything he had seen before, with small rounded tables with lacy tablecloths, with matching chairs. Candles lined the floral wallpaper pasted to the walls, with a long, wooden bar table, separating the eatery from the open kitchen. The room was flooded with warm, inviting colors and held a quaint charm of many bed and breakfast inns. But this isn't the room he'd been accustomed to for the last seven years. This wasn't the familiar guild dining hall and bar, this was an entirely different room. He quickly shook his head, pulling himself together before the other's noticed his lapse in character and shifted to face Maigre.

Although, before he had time to even prepare himself, Stillash had already moved and slammed him roughly into one of the small rounded tables. Ace gasped in shock, a soft sound wrenching from his lips, choking its way out while pain flooded up from the small of his back from the force of the table edge digging into his spine. Instinctually, he stiffened his body to keep from slamming to the ground as he struggled to right himself against the man bearing down on him.

"Ace!" Noelle cried, the old woman's face twisted in worry and she raced forward, but instead, was held back by a smirking Maigre yanking her by the shoulders. "Stay put." He barked into her ear, but the greenette just struggled in his grip, trying to yank herself to freedom.

Ace, on the other hand, vision blurred as the ginger landed a punch to his gut and the raven-haired boy cried out, falling to his knees as his stomach protested the pain. He body felt like it was rejecting his intestines, threatening to spill them out onto the floor as wave after wave of intensity smashed into him like a truck. Damn it, grit his teeth, body wavering in and out of consciousness, vision doubling and sound blurring together to be one muted scream of nonsense that he couldn't even begin to make out. He had to hold on, at least a little while longer.

"What are you doing to him!?" Noelle screamed, successfully forcing herself free and turning on the other. Her chest heaved with exertion, and her eyes were wild and harsh, peering up through her glasses in hatred at the other.

"Listen here, woman. This is what happens when you go against the Supreme Leader. This might not be his guild hall but he has one somewhere, and he won't get away with it. If he'd tell us then maybe we'd let him off easy, but not now after he's drug this little conversation out for so long." The brunette let out a chuckle as he raked his hands through his short, undercut, the scar over his eye twinkling with mirth.

How dare they. How DARE they come into her home and attack her child! Noelle couldn't catch her breath, her heart pounded in her chest a mile a minute as red suddenly filled her vision. She could feel the sensation tugging at her soul, calling from the back of her mind.

"He's a fighter, isn't he? I could sense his magical presence even before we came into this shithole inn," Maigre called out to his partner, who nodded in agreement.

"Tell us, boy! Where the fuck is your guild? We know you have magic, so fucking use it. You're holding back! Stop holding back!" Stillash screamed as he landed another blow to the raven, who sputtered and gasped for oxygen. He didn't budge a single inch from his kneeling position, his head tilted downwards, so a curtain of messy onyx hair shielded his tanned face from view.

"You'd be a great candidate to take to the capital. Wouldn't the Supreme Leader just love that?" Maigre sneered, and another laugh bubbled up from deep within his throat, sounding thick and raspy against Ace's heavy, labored breaths. Stillash then leaned down and lifted his large fist in the air and suddenly yanked a handful of those inky black strands, forcing Ace head backward as a result, so fast that Noelle was worried he snapped the boy's neck. She bit her tongue so hard that the tangy metallic taste of blood filled her mouth and finally heard the pained hiss that left Ace's lips, meaning that the boy was still alive.

' _Oh thank god_ ,' she breathed to herself, her heart stilling in her chest for mere seconds as she let the situation wash over her. Stillash let out a barking laugh while simultaneously tugging on the messy mop harder until their eyes met. Hazel against blue, a wild storm of consumption waiting to be unleashed and the ferocity of the boy's gaze left Noelle stunned. _Was he holding on? He was doing this on purpose?_ Noelle gaped, her mouth dropping open at the sight and she blinked her eyes rapidly as if to clear them from any illusion, but there wasn't any to be found.

 _My word, what was that boy up to?_ She wondered to herself, grasping the sides of her rope in tight fists to keep herself from lurching forward and intervening. Again, for what felt like the tenth time today, she felt so helpless as Stillash continued to pull the boy backward in his grasp like he was trying to yank the very hairs from his head out at the roots. He looked like a ragdoll in the man's huge hand practically consuming the majority of his hair. Ace hissed loudly, his olive-toned face scrunching up in pain and white teeth barely visible from the hard lock of his jaw and lips pursing.

"You just gonna sit there and take it, boy?" Stillash gruffly hissed, leaning in towards the other until they were within arm's length. Ace stared back, compliant and hateful, his body heaving with rapid breaths but he wasn't taking the bate, and at this realization, the ginger-haired man narrowed his eyes in anger, a glare plastering over his face before he slammed the other back, and with a giant fist, punched Ace clean across the mouth, a smacking of skin against skin echoing sickeningly around them.

If Ace wanted to throw up, he wasn't the only one, for a large bout of nausea washed over her at the sight of crimson that suddenly peaked out from his thin lip, unforgiving and harsh, trickling down his chin in a thin trail, staining that youthful olive skin to splatter on the floor beneath his knees. All she could see was red. Red everywhere, staining the floors, the walls, dripping down from the lifeless bodies of her children… From the innocent in droves and piles along the streets, helplessly scattered about like yesterdays trash.

Vile and red.

Red like their coats.

Red like the capital.

' _Do it. Do it. Don't you want to? Freedom, like the stars, remember?_ ' It called sweetly to her, an innocent voice littered with want, with need and she needed to do something -

Until everything stopped.

It was still, like the calm before the storm, and she felt it. Felt the presence that lingered thickly in the air, hovering over their heads but wafted from the figure on the floor. It was suffocating like an enemy presence, and Noelle felt herself subconsciously taking a step back from the sheer power spilling like a waterfall over the entirety of the room, conscious screaming to get away to flee.

' _Ace!_ ' Her veins ran cold with ice as she held her breath, eyes falling on the boy until suddenly a feminine voice snapped out into the silence, just as Ace's body finally gave out from the pain, tipping over a groan and smacking his side against the hard floor. She had been so quiet that Noelle hadn't noticed her presence - no one had noticed the click of her heels against the stone or the scent of her slightly sweet, yet pungent perfume that reminded Noelle distinctively of a mix of pomegranate, rose, and the ocean, a strange yet satisfying mix that refreshed the senses and at the same time sparking curiosity and interest. It seemed to almost swirl around the air, just as a strange sensation tugged over their bodies.

Should she be afraid? She wondered just briefly before a strangely familiar comfort rose into her chest. No, she shouldn't fear, she knew this scent, this feeling.

Finally, she had come.

" ** _Dream Magic: Lala Land!_** Now Sleep." It hissed menacingly from just behind Noelle and Maigre, echoing like a thousand voices whispering over one another, fighting for dominance until united by one force and the man's eyes barely had a second to widen before he instantly dropped to the floor like dead weight. Noelle watched as the brunette's sturdy body fell like a tree in the forest, toppling straight over without any theatrics, a thud and clank the only sound as he collided with the stone flooring. His partner's head whipped around just in time to see the other fall to the ground, unconscious.

"What the fuck did you do to Maigre?" Stillash shouted in panic, turning his burning hazel eyes onto the culprit and Noelle didn't have to even shift her gaze to know that the woman was smiling, a fierce, taunting grin that would freeze him over. The twinkling laugh that followed rang out like bells chiming in the wind, the sound floating into Noelle's ears as the girl in question finally took another step forward, her red ankle boots coming into view in the stout woman's peripheral. Her long, light blue ponytail swished like a whip, just as her matching short, light blue dress swayed around her with every step. She was like a bright stain of color in the otherwise dingy illusion that was the dining room, all shades of light blues like the wintry skies and glistening waters out in the ocean, and bright glittery reds, deep and passionate like a fine crisp scarlet rose in a forest of green. Her eyes were jewels of red, sharp and consuming and she trained them, unwavering right on the face of her opponent.

"Oh don't worry, you'll find out soon enough. Just wait your turn," Her almost melodic chime quipped in reply, a playful, bridging on menacing tone as another laugh fell from her pink lips, bouncing off the walls around them. A small flicker of fear wavered in those hazel eyes as the ginger seemed to still himself over, trying desperately to think up a plan in his head and Noelle almost felt pity for the poor soul. The girl was like an electric pull, a wild current that flowed unhindered. She was an electric soul, an untamable enigma that could be so warm and bright, yet hot to the touch and the livewire was unphased by the sight of an Army of Seven guard and Noelle could tell that the man knew this. She was a mix of electric currents and the wind, a driving force of intensity that could cause disasters or even a gentle breeze, floating by to ruffle your hair and make you smile, blowing any direction that she sees fit, unphased by others, for nothing can catch her.

Stillash's hand swiftly shot out towards the handle of his blade, preparing himself for the worst before the tall, lanky man was moving. He ran forward, black, clunky boots smacking against the ground and propelling him forward with reckless abandon but he had met his match in recklessness, for she was the mere queen.

My goodness, what will she do? Noelle wondered with a slight feeling of worry winding up in her chest and quickly, shifted to watch the young woman barely take a step forward between the short distance that was slowly becoming shorter between her and the ginger-haired brute. He approached as quickly as a bullet train, his long limbs wavering erratically around him and before the green haired woman knew it, the man was on the blunette.

"You'll pay for what you did! I'll send you to the Supreme Leader myself you little brat! How dare you strike a guard for the Army of Seven!" Stillash screeched and tightened his hold on the hilt of the sword from its secured spot in his sheath and yanked. The distinctive sound of metal against leather rang out, but that was enough time for her to move. The slender woman dodged his free hand as the other tried to free his sword but before Noelle could even blink, red-gloved hands gripped either side of the man's head, and her exclaim echoed loudly around them.

" ** _Dream magic: Lala Land!_** "

Suddenly, crimson eyes met hazel and the ginger stilled in her hold, his large body's thrashing turning limp and just as quickly as a sigh, his eyes rolled back in his head, shutting as sleep flooded his senses and the bluette hastily pulled back with a simple, "Oops," just in time for him to topple over at the ground beneath her feet. His sword, half out of its case clanked loudly against the stones and his head thudded hard, but the man was out cold. Immediately Noelle's illusion of the room dropped as the woman let out an exhausted sigh.

Would she ever learn, Noelle thought before smoothing out her robe. The green haired woman then turned to the source of the magic that just enraptured the men of Seven's army. The blunette adjusted her ponytail with her gloved hands and from behind her, Noelle could make out another figure that stood in the doorway behind them. This one was shorter than the other and wearing a look of angst, Cherry, and her companion several inches taller and the source of their salvation with a wild look in her fiery gaze. They were almost comically polar opposites of one another. The short, curvy pinkette still adorned her pajama set, though the taller wore a contrasting, light blue mid-thigh length dress that hugged her slender frame with a short-sleeved white jacket over her thin shoulders and white leggings on her lithe legs. Her matching, light blue hair was pulled back into a long, high ponytail, the strands fading out to white at the very tips, looking like the tip of a fine brush.

 _Delilah, my reckless child_ , Noelle let another sigh of relief leave her lips. Cherry swiftly maneuvered around the older girl as she quickly made her way over to her fallen friend on the ground, though the elder didn't bat an eyelash and instead, let herself relax again the tense lines of her shoulders slumping with ease.

"Thank you, Delilah," Cherry called softly over her shoulder to the other girl who nodded in reply, her long, light blue ponytail bouncing with the motion. A bright smile curled over her pale face, wrinkling her nose lightly and her expression softened to almost maternal tranquility. Her deep, scarlet gaze twinkling in the candle-light that now filled the stone-covered dining hall, casting warm shadows in the medieval-looking room.

"Of course, sweetie! What kind of guildmate would I be if I left Master and Ace to suffer? And it's hard to resist such a cute face! You guys can always count on me, you know that," Delilah retorted, her voice pitching in tone at the end, a sickeningly sweet lit as if she were talking to a child, and Noelle could tell the girl was resisting the urge to pinch the youngers cheeks causing the Cherry to faintly blush before rushing the rest of the way to the boy on the ground.

"I'm so sorry I was late, please forgive me, Master. I need to heal him," Cherry cried as she dropped to her knees next to Ace, her wavy pink hair falling around her like a messy cloud. On the other hand, the twenty-five-year-old leaned with a hip jutted out, arms crossed over her slender chest, exposing bright red, elbow length gloves. Her downturned red eyes piercing and standing out starkly against the onyx eyeliner that lined the orbs, matching the glittering red jewel embedded in a blue choker tied around her neck and the deep red of her corset laced over her dress to finish the outfit off, showing off her thin physique. Delilah stared down at the two men now lying limply on the floor with interest, before carefully stepping around Stillash's lanky body, her red ankle boots clicking against the hard flooring.

"No need to apologize, child. Thank you both for coming. You did a good job, Cherry, I didn't even notice you slip away." Noelle spoke kindly, a small smile pulling over her face as she watched the pink haired girl gently maneuver the older boy as carefully as possible to lay back on the cold stones. Shaking her head, Noelle quickly faced the other girl, "Thank you for your assistance, Delilah. I can always count on you, child. If it weren't for you, we would've been in a bit of a pickle. You always have an interesting flare for getting the job done." The greenette said with a hearty laugh leaving her lips, her broad shoulders shaking with amusement.

"You're very welcome Master! Of course. When poor little Cherry blossom came to me for help, I couldn't refuse," The woman chirped, a carefree lit to her tone as she squatted down in front of Maigre's lifeless body. Carefully lifting a gloved finger, she poked at his scarred cheek with a quiet hum, then dropped her arms by her sides. "He'll be out for a while, so we can dispose of them if you want. But, what happened here anyway? Guards at this hour… You think something is going on? They destroyed the foyer, and if your magic barrier magic hadn't been on this room, they probably would've discovered the guild, which I'm assuming was their goal here."

Noelle let out a long sigh and dropped down into a vacant bar stool with a plop. Her entire body ached from the exhaustion of this morning's events and from using so much magic for so long. She lifted a tanned, wrinkled hand and smoothed down the loose strands of her green hair, and secured them into her small ponytail. "Apparently these two followed Ace back from a job and figured he was a mage for an illegal guild. They probably heard the rumors around Twilight about Nova. I'm not positive yet, but it's a good possibility. They were very adamant about their convictions. They…" the words died in her throat and Delilah met her warm gaze, head tilting to the side in question and Noelle quickly swallowed, forcing the rest of her sentence out, "They wanted to send Ace to the capital. I know he wanted to fight but, you know Ace, always trying to think ahead. His calmness was what got him into this state. But I'm proud of him, he's such a good boy. He put himself on the line for our safety."

Glancing down, her brown eyes softened fondly as a soft pink glow emitted from Cherry's hands where they hovered over Ace's abdomen, the seventeen-year-olds soft muttering the only sound in the otherwise vacant room. The young man now laid on a bed of flowers, pinks, yellows, and purples, with hints of green scattered through as an almost transparent cage-like energy of green surrounded him, Cherry's healing plant spell hard at work to take care of the boys minor wounds before moving on to the larger ones. For once, Delilah was silent, the otherwise optimistic, chatty woman falling to her thoughts, scanning over her sleeping victims' faces. She was so uncharacteristically quiet that Noelle had half a mind to pester the girl, especially when she noticed a small wrinkle appear in the juncture between her slim blue eyebrows.

 _Hmm, what's gotten into my girl?_ Noelle bit her lip in worry. Delilah could be mature when she needed to, but she seemed honestly worried about something, and she never concerned herself with barely anything. But something was bubbling under the surface, something she hadn't noticed in a long time.

"That's pretty strange. To be honest, I'm a little concerned about all of the action lately with the capital being suspicious of Nova Inn. This is the third time in the last few months that someone has accused us of being a guild, but this time they were a bit more upfront..." The bluenette trailed off, the words falling quietly almost as if she was speaking absentmindedly to herself before she froze. Delilah rapidly blinking her red eyes and came back to herself all at once. She shot a bright smile, those red gems shimmering playfully before she slowly rose to her feet. The woman carefully smoothed down the lines of her dress, then leaned over to dust off the white stretchy material of her leggings. "Anywho! At least little Ace is fine, Cherry will have him patched up in no time! And of course, yours truly saved the day. So all is good. No capital nonsense for us! I'll have Han help me dispose of these guys before I wake them up and then they'll think this was all just a long nightmare. Problem solved, just like that! Great huh? No need to get so upset, master."

"Delilah! You make it sound as if you've killed them. Goodness, child. Use a little more tact, would yah?" Noelle chuckled and dramatically fanned her face, causing Delilah's grin to widen. "You're right though, I'd scold you on another day for your reckless nature, but you did a good job today, dear. I think we'll be safe for now, as long as we can get these two far away from here. Be on the watch though, okay? I sent a group out to check on some business in another town, so I don't want any guards snooping in this area to catch you."

"Nah, more like I sent them to an illusion of where they would much rather be right now, so maybe they should be thanking me. But, count on me, master. Don't worry about a thing except cleaning the foyer. I'll make sure they don't remember anything, and if they do, they won't know any different. It was all just a dream," The woman trailed off, her voice taking on a playful voice that she used with teasing the children and promptly ended with a pointed wink. Noelle shook her head at the others antics but couldn't help the laugh that fell from her thin lips as Delilah shifted on her heels and clicked right out of the dining hall, the double doors swinging after the tail of her light blue dress.

With Delilah gone, Noelle slumped down in her seat, back leaning against the wooden slab of a bartop. Her head and heart both felt heavy as if she needed a long nap after all that just occurred. Her adrenaline and protective instinct from earlier had drained the life and energy right out of her. She was in a calm state now, but she still couldn't help the nagging and worries that bubbled up from the back of her mind, reminding her of the constant struggles of being a guild master. The woman found her eyes drifting down to Cherry and Ace. The pink haired girl's magic was still flowing strong as the boy was wrapped in a soft blanket of plant life. She could see the faint shake of her thin shoulders with the effort, lines of frustration wrinkled her forehead under her wispy bangs.

' _That poor child, stop doubting yourself. You'll never get anything done otherwise_ ,' The green haired woman shook her head, her lips pursed into a thin line.

"Chin up, child. Everything will be alright, I promise. It was just a little mishap today, but nothing our guild can't handle," She murmured softly, as to not break the girl's concentration and she was met with a long beat of silence. Noelle could tell that the girl was definitely lost in her own thought but was slowly coming to. Cherry pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, lightly nibbling, sparing the older woman a quick glance of green eyes before slowly nodding, her hands never leaving their position. The anxiety in her gaze was still present, but the tremble of her shoulders had finally ceased.

The words rang out true to the girl, but Noelle couldn't help but feel as if they were hollow. _Would everything be alright?_ She mused to herself, the question floating through her mind but she didn't know the answer. Only time would tell, she could assume, but she did have a strange sinking sensation tugging at her insides that maybe this wouldn't be the last of them. No, not quite yet and maybe Delilah knew this too. For dreams can always become a reality.

* * *

 **~0~0~0~**

 _Please R &R if you're interested! Reviews are DEFINITELY appreciated! They are what keeps me going, so I adore them. :) I'm so sorry for such a terrible quality chapter. I'm honestly very ashamed of the result but once I'm over the flu I'm coming back to edit this and make it way better but right now I'm just feeling too much like death to even worry about it. I'm so anxious for your reviews and to know what you guys think... Do you all love Delilah as much as I do? She's such an interesting character and contrasts so much to the others introduced so far. Poor Ace, he really took the blunt end of the stick on this one... Will this be the end of these two brutes or will we maybe see them again? Find out in the next update! Thanks again for being so patient with me, I am beyond thankful to you all. I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint as much as I think that it does. I hope I don't lose readers for this. I promise to fix it all later, and the next chapter will be much better. Thanks again!_

 _ALSO! Please let me know what you think of the lengths of my updates. Is this one too long (I did want to make up for being late) or do you want some shorter updates? Just let me know what you prefer!_

 ** _( For those of you who were upset your OC hasn't been introduced yet, please try to keep in mind that I want to give everyone their time to shine and we do have a large cast, so I won't be cramming every OC into every chapter. That way your OC has their own moments and aren't just briefly mentioned in like one paragraph. I think the story flows better when I focus specifically on certain people per chapter. So please try to be patient, I'm introducing OCs just a few at a time per update, so it'll take a few updates before everyone is fully introduced/has their own scene(s). Be sweet and considerate of those who are being introduced, everyone else wants to see their OC as well, so don't be rude just because your OC hasn't had their moment yet. Thank you!)_**

The link for the story's pinterest is on my profile, so feel free to check that out!

 _\- Clairvoyage_

 **Ace Eiddwen belongs to _ primalfreak._**

 **Delilah Kopitar belongs to _SanityRequiem_**


	6. Update

Hello all. Yes this isn't a chapter and I'm very sorry. I just wanted to let everyone know that the reason why I haven't updated in a while is that I'm struggling a bit with college in RL. I've taken on a huge load this semester and I've started a shadowing program for one of my classes for my major on top of my current job and a new side one and I've had limited time to get on. I'm so sorry for making everyone wait and I know my apologies probably don't mean anything considering it's been several weeks without an update but I am truly sorry. I don't want anyone to think I've abandoned this because I haven't. This story is my baby and I'm so proud of it and I really enjoy working on every chapter and even coming up with new ideas or future scenes with my beta. I do have the next update written out but I haven't had the time to make the finishing edits with all the pressure I've been under in real life. I feel horrible even posting this update and everyday that goes by without a chapter posted I feel even worse. I hate to let you guys down and I feel so guilty for taking this long. I have so many plans for this and I don't want it to go to waste or this story to be something I'm not proud of. I just can't, for the life of me, post a chapter that I'm not at least 90% okay with. I'm sure you all are so annoyed and beyond done with my excuses and I can't blame you. I'm sorry everyone and I'll continue to feel terrible for making you guys wait on me. I never planned on things going this way and I'm having trouble right now trying to balance out real life at the moment. I promise I'll have the chapter posted as soon as I have the time to finish the final edits and I'm sure it won't be my best but at least it'll be something. I'm sorry everyone, I'm trying my best here to make this happen. I hope you guys haven't given up on me and will stick around. Again, I'm so sorry and I hope you all don't hate me by now. It's literally my biggest goal to introduce all of your OCs in a decent way that isn't too repetitive. I'm so freaking excited for the adventures to come and I have big dreams for this.


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